…..

Three souls bound as one

The Rakshasa, he holds the ultimate animosity

The Demon, he disdains yet relishes

And Asura, he dreads forever more

For resolve to seal the mountains

Might to topple, undo his Shangri-la

Inversion of fates undecided

The Asura becomes a Demon

Demon becomes the Asura

Ten Vedic Seals, Ten Talismans

…..


He had always heard of how majestic Jalendu Lake was at night, but in all his time here he had never truly had a chance to visit. The moon and stars luminating the surrounding, reflecting against the lake truly brought out an auspicious feng shui. His current visit was neither a joyous one, he was standing at the shore of a cremation ground.

"…."

He hated places that held religious significance, it brought out strange prophecies and memories of a former incarnation that should've have crossed the rivers of the underworld to be reborn. He couldn't remember the last time he had a good original dream based on the events that occurred in the day. Especially near shrines to the local deity, Darshan told him never to mention his and her name. Because it represented his belief in that construct entity and his acknowledgement of it as a god. Real Devas and Asuras from the ancient passages didn't require worship to survive or define their providence, they existed before the conception of man and played a part in it as well.

He'd fallen into a trance whilst burning some effects at the crematory grounds.

A funeral ceremony for the loss of a friend, a brother that no one could remember. He had sponsored it along with the other minor cremations of the police officers and soldiers that died today. Including a ceremony for Riley Brody, attended solely by his friends and elder brother.

A mourning of the forgotten.

But where friends and family attended for their departed loved ones, there was only Ajay who attended for his tatbro.

There was no body to bury, so he collected his affects from the locker of his to burn in the pyre. Ajay believed in no god, not Christ the lord, nor the Hindu Deities including the local patron god. But if there was one kind enough to provide his brother's soul a place in paradise, he would be forever grateful. He was down to the last item, the bandana the goof wore around his head. He had the sudden urge to keep it, hoping he would be watched over like in the case of Kamala.

"Will I forget you too, in time to come?"

Ajay had access to his journal, the only written account of his life. He knew fighting Purushartha had destroyed something worth its weight in Karma converted to Prana. The latest to be forgotten was a woman in Jason Brody's group, a former acquaintance named Daisy Lee. Some ex he knew in Highschool. Now, all he saw was an annoying woman bothering him. As irritating as the feeling was to have lost something he knew not, this was the reality of what was left to appreciate. Worst of all, he felt no grief from losing what was precious to him. His prospect of falling from grace was becoming certain.

He stowed the bandana around his belt, hoping this remembrance piece would bring him some luck.

"Perhaps I should wash it first, god knows how long its been in that locker." Ajay had a light chuckle to himself.

"Hey." Called out one of the persons which he'd only just tried to kill four hours ago.

Ajay stood up and dusted his lap of ash.

"Lieutenant Hamal will pick you up at 0700 hrs in the morning for a debrief and a run through of what to expect. Tomorrow you'll be training in fieldcraft with the military trainers in Lanka. Rest early, tonight."

Ajay walked off as he had nothing else to say to Jason.

"Umm… Hurk, was it? I don't real- gurrrgghhh!" Jason dropped to a knee and wrapping his hand upon his chest in pain. His hand that was lost had magically grown a new stump from the chopped off one.

The author of this pain was Ajay, clenching his hand into a fist in front of Jason.

"You have no right to speak that name, Jason. It might be by providence that you were saved, but that doesn't mean I won't let your life tumble into a living hell. From the moment you consumed my blood and lent this life, your ass was mine. When I say you fight, you'll fight. When I tell you to die, you'll happily take your own life for my advancement. And most importantly….. Don't ever say that name in front of me. Am I clear, Jason Brody?"

Ajay released his grip and the pain resided from Jason.

"Now go back with your dumbass friends."

He said as he walked off. Jason was still recovering from his pains as he shouted out.

"You killed my brother!" He said whilst gasping for air.

"He killed my officer. And you killed mine."

"You know he didn't mean it!" Ajay scorned at that convenient word.

"There's no such thing as did or didn't mean to kill here, Jason Brody. Are you saying I should give him a sympathy pass because he felt sorry about what he did? Or Pity you because you're sorry for all the shit you've pulled? There's just the act of him murdering my fellow Kyrati."

"I'll never forgive you-." Jason crawled with every bit of fibre he could muster, until he reached Ajay's feet which he crutched hold of with his hand.

Ajay gripped his hand once more to tug the Karmic thread between them, torturing Jason's soul which he could not physically grasp himself.

"You know why I hate you, Jason? Because you've never taken accountability for anything you've done. It might not have been you moving those limbs, but you let Montenegro use you. Be it Hurk's death, your possession, your friends' predicament, even your brother Riley's death…. Never once have you told yourself, it was my fault. To think my soldiers fell to a person like you, the very thought disgust me!" Ajay brought a foot down upon his face, plying his hand off in the process. He stomped on Jason repeatedly till the latter was coughing in pain, no longer showing any signs of resistance. He had the agony of his tortured soul to contend with.

"You don't have the right to forgive anyway, you aren't my friend or my ally. You're nothing but a puppet, when I'm done with you, I can just dispose of you at any time. Get that into that thick skull of yours, dipshit."

After Ajay turned and left, he released his hand to give Jason some respite. It was at that moment when he encountered Daisy Lee who was heading in his direction.

"Ah-….." she suddenly went quiet when he appeared before her. Although, Ajay didn't even spare a second glance as he headed to the jeep to get home.

This alienation was a sting in her heart, as she watched his back leave her. In a sense, Ajay was leaving her just as she had years ago. There was no Karma between them left.

She wiped her swollen eyes before the tears fell and went to where Jason was last headed. If she was not wrong, they were in conversation.

But when she arrived at the pyre.

"Jason!" She found him on the ground clutching his chest and huffing.

She took a kneel and brought him up gently.

"Daisy?"

"Hey…. It's me."

"….. forgive me…"

"Yeah. Alright."

"Forgive me…. Forgive me….." Jason repeated over and over as he cried. What he truly meant was the predicament he had put them in, he had no excuse for their sufferings because of him. And now, Riley was gone. He was the last of the Brody brothers. Ajay may have forgiven him on behalf of Hurk, but that didn't mean he had to regard him as a friend, let alone a person. Ajay had killed Jason Brody, so he saw this Jason as but a mere shell kept alive through a mysterious blood.

"I forgive you, Jason….." Daisy embraced his head lovingly.

She looked with wet eyes towards the direction of a jeep driving off into the distance. That person had literally fought a demon to keep her alive.

-….. I forgive you….. Ajay.-


The Kyrati War Machine had returned and all men and fallen had been accounted for. The toll was heavy for the frontline Kyrati soldiers, it was a price for fighting an enemy they knew almost nothing about.

But they had been given commendation, for their survive sparked hopes of finding ways to combat this Rakshasa menace that literally devoured the US expedition in less time than it took for the battle to end. They had actually been on losing ground, but something had happened which marked a turning point in their battle. The loss of the enemy commander, officers and men suspected it was likely Badala's doing. A quick decisive strike to the head of the beast crippling all of the Rakshasa in their entirety.

Casualties were three depleted battalions that could not recover their numbers quick enough, so an executive order was given to merge them into other groups. The Indians Mountain regiments had suffered just as badly, as had the Russian Spetznaz. There were no wounded, only deaths. Their enemy had cursed weapons and poisonous arrows which no cure was available to them, but these were amongst the least cruel of ways to die. Death at the hands of physically manifested lightning or blood boiling were the more excruciating of the lot. It had quite the psychological effect on the troops fighting then.

Even when he wanted to return home, he wasn't allowed to. His next stop was Sagarmatha Airbase, where the representatives for the three armies were awaiting an explanation from him.

He however had another issue to attend to, which was the failsafe codes to reconfiguring the three B83 Nuclear Bombs via PAL. The memories of the US Ranger Colonel ran through his mind as if they were his own. This included the procedure of handling the weapons which he had had a brief training on before being shipped over by the amphibious vessels attached to the Carrier Fleet.

From Ajay's stolen memories of the US colonel, he could recall a debriefing in Pentagon. Aurora was a one-part program to the 1980s Reagan administrations' attempt to reintroduce strategic bombers. Around that time, the Strategic Defense Initiative was a go. Research focusing on Ballistic Missile Defence was perceived as rendering the ICBM weapons obsolete in the decades to come. They were sure the Russians would build a counter or counterpart to said initiative they dubbed "Star Wars" program. When that happened, the United States wanted to have the edge against then-Soviet Union. If SDI was the shield, Project Aurora was the silent assassin blade.

The solution was a stealth bomber that evaded detection through a combination of stealth and speed. To reduce the risk of detection, Aurora had a rather interesting delivery method being supported called "slingshot". Flying at stratospheric atmosphere, Aurora would make a hard turn in the general launch direction and "hurl" its payload coupled with is hypersonic speeds. The free-fall bombs would fly at distances exceeding most longe range missiles without any propellant even being used. What guided the free-fall bomb to the target was a Navstar guidance kit, a predecessor to the modern GPS and JDAM kits. For '80s technology, it was thoroughly ahead of its time. United States definitely deserved the title of most powerful, most influential for building and fielding this formidable craft.

It was understandable why the board directors in Lockheed Skunkworks and Langley freaked out when it disappeared over Point 2153 and crashed. Billions of dollars in taxpayers, along with strategic assets attached to it. If Russian didn't have their hands over it, China would since it had been in border disputes with India since both nations conception. Still, to have live nuclear weapons for a test run spoke much about convincing the bureaucrats to fund such a mega project. The memory of the colonel was just as surprised.

And so, two sacrificial lambs named Huntley and Lynch were sent to "clean up" because they couldn't afford to have footprints tracing back to United States. Creating political unrest in Kyrat to cover their destruction of Aurora and the Nukes recovery. All should've gone to plan, however Willis and Lynch did not expect the arrival of Pagan. He and the Cantons quickly ended the war between Nationalist and Royalist parties with their superior equipment and better trained men. With promise to installing the last Devi bloodline member upon the throne the two spooks were at their wits end. Then Pagan executed the last Devi royal family member, severing the bloodline forever. He stepped onto the throne and created the new Min Dynasty.

Willis recruited the help of his father in fighting Pagan's regime, supplying weapons and equipment to his small outfit of loyalists that became the Golden Path. Pagan's initiative to conceive the Royal Army was something unheard of at the time when a rigid caste system prevailed. Labourers, farmers and tradesman enlisted in his Army to received better treatment and a better future for themselves. So the Kingdom was able to contend with the numerically superior partisan forces of Golden Path.

At some point of time, Lynch got cold feet with the stalemate looming between both parties. He blew the wreckage without checking the contents and misled partisans to chase Willis saying he was a double agent. While Willis was trapped and running for life, he returned to Langley to give the final report. Lynch's life was secure, Willis returned to find his status in a crisis and the betrayal he'd experienced. He was demoted and sent to the South East Asian Regions, jumping around from Thailand, Singapore, Phillipines and finally Rook Islands.

And what an ambitious set of targets "Aurora's" Primitive A.I. had been assigned. Three possible attack strategies had been pre-programed targets had been set, and in eachattack vector were several points of attack within that region. The country to hit first priority was of no surprise, it was Russia which was then-Soviet Union. The targets were industrial centres and capital administration of Moscow, Sebastapol and Kapustin Yar. In order of the Capital, the Black Sea Fleet Dock, and rocket launching/advance research site. The other attack vector was China's Beijing, Tianjin and Nanjing province cities. Their Capital, their largest port city and their Eastern Military Command.

The last one was something they didn't expect or understand. It was a combination of two countries, they were India and United States own ally Pakistan. The areas targeted were the Northern most regions in a long line that denied Chinas Western District army at Chengdu from mobilizing into the oil rich Middle East. These sites were in the Jammu and Kashmir regions not far from the Pakistani and Indian Capital cities.

For the Cold War era, the strategic planners of the pentagon were really paranoid and vicious. It was a behavior that even Ajay didn't truly understand. On the outside, they wanted to be everybodies friend and hero. But inside, they were as insecure about their own freedom as they were under the belief that there were no allies, only interests between nations.

The Indian delegation stormed out of the room after learning this. Angered by the true nature of the United States administrations. Not a single one didn't share the foreign minister's sentiments. They have come on a request from Badala to personally collect the Warhead which would be reverse-engineered in the Mumbai Labs under their renewed Nuclear Program to uncover Second-stage nuclear fission, the true thermonuclear weapons. They boarded their Ilyushin airlifters together with the Garud Commandos who acted as escort for their precious device.

Ajay stood at the tarmac to see Dmitri off as the Spetznaz soldiers boarded their airlifter after loading their equipment and dead on board. The Russian tried to maintain a composed face after his reprimand. Saraswati had told Ajay the story of how Aurora first ended up in Kyrat to begin with and Ajay was not pleased to know that their Cold War affairs had been responsible for triggering Kyrats Civil War that cost over two hundred thousand deaths over the span of twenty-six years.

"You and Moscow knew all along, didn't you? Because nobody asked so nobody needed to say anything. Is that the kind of working relationship you want our countries to adopt from now on?"

Ajay silenced both him and the Russian Delegates from the Kremlin, they had no way of rebutting his accusations like they planned with justification. He was a power-hungry warlord that held their important import of aluminium used to feed their industry, that was what was in the reports from Dmitri were. But Ajay in person was anything but just a warlord, Ajay himself wasn't sure if it was really his intimidative stance or the Demon's aura that was frightening them, he suspected it was the latter. They were Russians after all, a petty country warlord shouldn't have been a problem to the bureaucratic puppeteers of the powerful Kremlin.

"Kyrat will not be as petty as Moscow perceives it to be, gentlemen. But she will not tolerate betrayal, you keep that in mind." Ajay had sort of forgiven them from this sentence and relieved a massive amount of tension amongst the Russian officials in light of the bigger picture which was Kyrats future. Months ago, he was seen as a mere warlord of a failed state whom they pressed Dmitri to have extort. They were finding that over recent events, he was becoming a figure in Central Asia that had a notorious reputation that grew at such exponential size. He was someone who spat in the world's most powerful enforcer and crippled their offensive in Central Asia. He was the man who nuked a US Naval Fleet. The story was absurd, but satellites confirmed nuclear detonation matching the yield of an American Arsenal B83. How he smuggled it on board, they dare not ask. Nor about the Rakshasa. Whatever was going on in Kyrat, they wanted no part in it. Their Spetznaz would tell them the horrifying account of how they nearly died to the undying Rakshasa monstrosity that Kyrat was to contend with. Yet there was an assurance that the commercial supply chain wouldn't be disturbed by them, Ajay's guarantee was based on a claim they had fought the Rakshasa for generations.

So in their assessment, Kyrat was filled with monsters and human beings on par with such inhuman forces. Although, Ajay made them promise not to speak of the Rakshasa force and feint ignorance. Making the US claims of a "greater evil" invalid and put their silent advance in question by the international community.

"So what now?"

"You're the intelligence operative, you tell me." Ajay grinned as Dmitri smiled back wryly.

He pulled out a nightcap flask and two cups which he handed one to Ajay. Pouring the liquor into the cups.

"Nostrovia."

"To good health."

Ajay got to taste the goodness of Dmitri's special recipe drink he promised the last time. They drank the shot cup dry and Ajay pulled out a bottle of his own.

"My turn."

"This is-…"

"A secret hospitality that Duke Badala of Lakshman gives exclusively to friends." He poured the Baijiu and they dunked it down as quickly as it was poured.

"A little sweet for my taste."

"Oh how you wound my brewer's heart!" Ajay laughed.

"But drink has a rare precious character that cannot be found anywhere else in the world."

Ajay wondered from the way he said it if he was referring to the drink or him.

"It is a privilege to have been in the company of a man of your caliber, Badala." Dmitri held out a hand. Ajay reached out and took the hand, but unexpected was that he pulled Dmitri towards him and hugged him. Dmitri chuckled away as they broke off, not expecting this kind of friendliness from an arrogant warlord.

Ajay pressed the bottle containing the rest of the Baijiu against his chest, insisting that he keep it.

Dmitri took the beginning steps towards the cargo jet that awaited his boarding.

"What will you do now?"

"What I need to do. Cement boundaries with my neighbours and get rid of all potential threats while they're administration is in disarray."

"A word of caution then, I may report to the boss, but he makes the ultimate call. He will act in the interest of preserving the status quo."

"I get it, I'll spare a few of them." Dmitri shook his head, not sure if he really got it or took it to heart.

"May the holy father watch over you. Friend." The ramp closed as he entered the cabin. The engines flared, and the jet took off from the tarmac.

Ajay cleared the runway so that other aircraft awaiting take-off could leave without obstruction.


Ringing the bell of his own house was not really his style, but he wanted to announce his arrival than scare the other habitants of the house. Indeed, he heard the patter of feet running towards the front door. Upon the opening, who else was eagerly awaiting his return?

"I'm back." He received a warm embrace from Saraswati.

"What did I tell you?" He chuckled as she kissed him.

"Fool….. I would rather have waited with you."

"I know, but let a guy look cool once in a while."

"….. Promise me you won't let that happen again."

"I won't." His answer was unhesitant which pleased her.

Ajay embraced her without moving from his location, and let time drift by them.

An hour later, he was sitting by the fireplace chowing down with the rest of the residence on some hot soup brewing on the stove they sat around. Noore, Saraswati, Bhadra, Maya and even Ashley whom came over with her guardian. But she was too young or so they hoped to understand the flow of the conversation. As Ajay updated them on the outcomes of the battle at the Northern Mountains. What were the details of Operation Mímisbrunnr to Noore.

As he'd expect, Noore was out of breath just listening.

"Oh my god…." She put a hand to her face, just thinking about it was giving her a headache.

"Aunt Noore, what's a Raksh-…asa?" Ashley who had been listening but not fully comprehending the meaning of some context asked her.

Noore was in no condition to answer the sweet Ashley, less she lash out at her accidentally. Seeing this, Bhadra volunteered to take her away to go to bed early.

"How much did you lose fighting what's his name?" Noore made it especially important to keep tabs on his mental health and what stage was his deterioration at.

"Book says I've lost memories of Daisy Lee when fighting Purushartha."

"How much?" Ajay looked at her for a moment.

"All of it."

"Jesus…. Did you take my words for shit?!"

"I don't know how to answer that."

"Don't answer it, just act!"

"If I hadn't act, she would've been paste. Purushartha got what he wanted in the end."

"I think he got a little more than that."

"…" A worsened condition was a win for the Rakshasa after all, it was a gauge that told them how soon their lord would arise from him.

"How much more are you gonna sacrifice?" Noore said as she rested her head against the wall of their house.

"If necessary, all of it." That fact that he could say it in front of them without hesitation was greatly wounding.

"That's the level of preparation and resolve I have to complete this task, with Darshan's plan we just might make it through and survive, all of us."

"Darshan? Didn't you tell me weeks ago, he was the last person to trust? Now he's the last hope that we have?"

"Be that as it may, Darshan was preparing for this very moment sixteen years or so, maybe even longer. He knew they'd come and he's prepped to take the head of their highest authority."

"And somehow that's gonna stop them? They won't take revenge?" Noore became objective, the princess was the apple of their eye after all.

"Without her, the Rakshasa lose their protection from the Mountains. That's an instant death sentence."

"Again with this mountain and valley crap. Your telling me that the very ground I'm standing on decides my fate as long as I tread on it?"

"I felt it, Noore."

He said with stricken eyes that quietened her franticness.

"When I reached a level that I could fight on par with Purushartha, I felt a presence emerge from everywhere, it saw us and pointed its might towards me. Purushartha cowered before it, literally. Him, a Rakshasa of over thousands of years old, fought against thousands of demi-gods. When it struck down, it was like it sent an entire mountain my way to crush me. If I didn't learn the demon banishing hex, I couldn't died right then and there."

"Let's leave this demon stuff aside for now, all I can gather is that its pretty potent against these Rakshasa, right?" Ajay nodded, it was quite mind boggling for someone of a medicinal background who believed in the wonders of medical science.

"I wanna know more about what she said, Eternal Heaven. Any idea what that means?"

"Only guesses, Esha apparently treats this Eternal Heaven as a serious threat. She said that Maya was something along the lines of being a descendant of that entity as well."

"You're assuming Eternal Heaven is a being and not a place."

It caused gazes to be directed Maya's way, uncomfortable to the stares, she turned away. Ajay left out certain parts that even he had trouble understanding, like betraying him was a nature based on her bloodline.

"I'm no demi-god. I was born of flesh and blood parents. My father was Paresh Kadayat, my mother might not be Bipin's but she's still a human being."

"We're not doubting for a second that you're human, Maya. Perhaps this was thousands of years ago. You know how the folk lore always tells of gods descending to have families. Who knows if you might be the distance descendant of those fellas, anythings possible."

"So what's your make on Eternal Heaven then, can that being help us against the Rakshasa?" Noore tried thinking all options.

"I don't know, something deep down is telling me that Eternal Heaven's worst than her. It's just a gut feeling, it feels to convenient to depend on another being. Rakshasa are bad enough." Which part of him was having the bad feeling, the human part, the demon part or the Rakshasa part?

"And you were saying I'm a descendent of this thing." Maya puffed.

"Sins of the father don't pass to the son."

"She certainly didn't believe so." Of course, she didn't. Ajay recalled the look on Esha's face, it wasn't anger or pain like when Ajay defended Daisy.

It was fear.

Not the type that she was frightful in his presence, but rather what he was capable of. If Eternal Heaven was really a good fellow, he'd be clashing with the Rakshasa for disrupting the essence in the mountains. His best guess that being was in Shangri-la, the place the Rakshasa wanted to go. But then, how would they fight with Eternal Heaven? It didn't make sense, less…

"She wants me to fight him." Ajay came to the conclusion quickly.

"You?"

"Not as I am now, but as Rakshasa King Ishaan." Ajay had mentioned before the objectives of Esha and the history he confided to Noore everytime another dream came. There wasn't a being that wasn't afraid of Esha's brother, the former overlord of the Mountain and Valley.

"You guys are tired, what say we turn in early. Lunch at Utkarsh? Heard they have a burger joint just newly built called the Hungry Yak Shack. And I could use a whopper." The girls laughed at the name, but he was right. There wasn't any point in dwelling on the subject, for tomorrow then.

Noore went to take Ashley home from Bhadra's room, Ajay saw them out. Ashley, too tired to jump around went to the car in advance.

"You want to speak to me about something, what is it?"

"The Rakshasa intend to turn this place upside down when they make their move." Ajay confided honestly to Noore as her right being his accomplice.

"I'm thirty-seventy the Kingdom will survive."

Noore sighed as their odds were not in their favour.

"Well, we shouldn't be complaining if we've got a thrity percent chance."

"We, but not you."

"….. Excuse me?" Ajay watched Ashley climb onto the jeep with her short limbs all by herself.

"What will you do about Ashley's future?"

"…I don't know."

"You can only do one thing, Noore. Be Pagan's Vice-Lord of Shanath or be Ashley's Mother."

Noore looked at him strange like she had a feeling he'd done something without her consent.

"I've arranged with the Airbase, in two week's time you and Ashley will be off to Switzerland." Noore stared at him was disbelief.

"Who gave you the right to decide for me?" But Ajay just smiled back and rested his hand on Noore's shoulder.

"You've done enough for us here, Noore. In fact, you've done too much. I promised you I'd find a means to keep you living and she's right there sleeping in your ride. But in the days to come, this place will be no place for a child like her. Kyrat is going to ignite into a battlefield once more."

"Into a Civil War again?"

"Into a fight for survival." Ajay pulled out a pouch which Noore took and untied the string to see the inside contents. What she found were passports with fake IDs for herself and Ashley, a bank book with its account fund in the hundred thousands and an address to a house located in Zurich.

Ajay reached out and held Noore's hands.

"You need to do the same, fight for your survival. I'm expecting great things from you, Stephanie Messerli." He began calling her by her alias already.

Ajay left her without waiting for a response, he had made the choice for her. There was no need for Noore to spill anymore of her life blood into this place after it robbed her of it once. There was no point in her fighting alongside him in a desperate battle for survival only to forfeit her life. She was the last of the original companions of his former life left. Hurk was gone, Noore didn't need to lose hers as well.

"How sure are you she'll take up this offer?" Saras asked him from the veranda chairs.

"Mother's do their best for their children. If mine took me to the States when things were still awry in Kyrat. Then Noore should be no different."

"…"

Ajay sat on the bench with her looking out into the night sky and the dazzle of the lights in the streets below. A hand rested on his, he turned it to hold hers. He could feel the cold silver of the ring around her finger, letting him know of how far his relationship had progressed with her. And of how much his life had meaning now, just as Noore's had found hers.

"I'm scared, Swati."

"What are you afraid of, Ajay?" She answered as she was there to listen to him as he sought closure.

"Scare of not being myself. Not being the Ajay that you love and turn into Ishaan of Akaash, the one that Esha loves."

"I can remember those moments, every time something belonging to Ajay Ghale slips, the memories of that former life start pouring in. I'm slowly becoming hi-." Ajay was halted by a finger.

"I think I understand where you're going. But then, if you knew this why did you still throw it away to save Daisy? Its as you said, you're willing to use all of it to get to the end. And if you really do forget even me…"

"Please don't-." Saraswati hushed him again with her finger.

"I won't. Karma isn't memory, its just a string of fate entwined. Treasured memories should be stored in the heart." Both hands cupping the side of his head, her gaze met his.

"Maybe if you wish hard enough, your memory of me might never vanish."

"….. Or, if I make a memory so unforgettable it'll stay no matter what." A pleasant expression returned to his face.

"See? You've got that hang of it."

Saraswati looked at him eye to eye.

"Wanna make that memory now?" Saraswati wore a sly grin at his most recent suggestion.

Ajay pulled her in as he lay back against the lying chair. Saraswati giggled at the action, Ajay blinked for a second as he suddenly reminisced something a long time ago. From a time that should've been forgotten. Fragments of a memory when he and the woman called Daisy closed a gap in their relationship at the school pool.

"Something wrong?" She judged from the surprise on his face.

"No. I was just thinking, maybe you're right after all." Perhaps not everything the demon inside him said was true. About the affiliation between Karma and memory. I little bit of hope returned to Ajay as he thought about that. That smidgen of hope was all he needed to keep his strength of willpower strong.

"Tomorrow….."

"Mmmm?"

"How about we pay a visit to your parent's house?"

Saraswati knew the significance of what that visit meant. It meant taking their relationship out of the shadows and going public with it. He was intending to ask Manisha and Arjun Roka for permission to marry their daughter.

"Am I being asked for hand in marriage by Badala or Ajay?"

"Which do you prefer?"

Saraswati playfully put her finger to her lips.

"Two suitors. Badala, the Demon of Lanka. Handsome, famous, rich."

"And then there's poor Ajay Ghale." Ajay chuckled to himself as she directed the portrayal of how things would go in a story telling fashion.

"Not a cent to his name, lives in a house on a hill, and his father is the most wanted fugitive… but brave nonetheless."

"He took on the mask of Badala to demonise himself for the sake over everyone else. He fought and beat the Golden Path Eight Devas, sent back the Chinese, manipulated the United States to certain doom and contends with the Rakshasa. All for the tiny state of Kyrat and its eccentric sovereign. Which do you think I'll accept his proposal?"

"Fair point."

Ajay was about to suggest turning in for the night when lights appeared over the hilly path towards the homestead. A convoy of vehicles were making their way around the hill that the homestead was on.

"I've not been around for the recent developments, is a highway being build along our frontyard?"

"Well, I've been at the Royal Fortress so….."

Ajay watched as the convoy, seemingly lengthy was making its way not bypassing them but heading towards their house. It was night so only the silhouettes could be seen. But from the engine noise of a diesel and general size of the vehicle he guessed they were the army's new MRAP Marauder troop carriers. Only the Provost and Snow Guard had fully fielded them thus far. Ajay stood up from his seat as did Saraswati as he made his way to the front of the porch to greet them. For whatever business they had.

The vehicles parked in a horizontal line, and the soldiers poured out from the back and stood in a formation in front of their vehicles like they do during inspections. Ajay had no trouble seeing in the night, but he noticed the most perculiar thing. Which was the assortment of soldiers in this unit. Because not everyone was Royal Army, there was another group accompanying them, they were the Papirese Republic Guard.

The Papirese officer came forward on behalf of the contingent to speak. Ajay was noticing a very grim atmosphere amongst the Kyratis, they weren't giving off any ill intent as Ajay sensed for any suspicious activity from this large group gathering at his house.

"A bit late to be sightseeing, right gentlemen?" Ajay figured them for tourists.

"Lord Badala….."

"Yeah, that's me buddy." The Papirese soldiers walked and surrounded him.

"By order of the Secretary-General of the Himavana Alliance we have been warranted to arrest you."

One soldier came to cuff Ajay, but a hand latched around his neck and lifted him away. The Papirese soldiers turned their weapons on Ajay. When that happened, the Kyrati escorts turned theirs on the Papir soldiers.

"Stand down! Captain, order you men to stand down!" The Papirese officer asked of the liason who accompanied him here.

"Not until you do the same."

"Captain-."

"You damn, Papir dogs! Who do you think you're pointing your gun at!?" The Kyrati liason turned his weapon on his own Papirese charge to his disbelief.

"Captain, we have orders, you have orders!"

"Dhir's word means shit to us! You came to arrest him, that does not warrant you threatening his grace!" The Liason officer spoke with fierce loyalty to his own lords.

"Boys, relax." Ajay called out as he waved his hand for them to lower them.

"Your Grace, they're here to-."

"Yeah, I heard. No need to intimidate these greenhorns with your gritty veteran persona they know you guys are tough. I do too." The escort convoy soldiers lowered their weapons. The Papirese soldiers were hesitant to lower theirs as well, but they had yet to receive an order to do so. And because of that, they received an eyeful of hostile glares from the Royal Army soldiers.

Saraswati came to his side ignoring the soldiers.

"Colonel Roka…." The Kyratis recognized her quite easily and couldn't help but talk amongst themselves, mostly about her natural beauty or how lucky Ajay was and the usual nonsense.

She faced the Papirese Officer.

"What are the charges?"

The officer was hesitant to indulge as he was simply told to bring him back to Garud Durbar.

"I am Colonel Saraswati Roka of the Kyrati Royal Army Defense Committee, I demand the details of your presence here in the autonomous region of Lakshman."

The officer was baffled, he was not aware of the territorial boundaries in Kyrat.

"What she means is, what right do you have to come to my own territory, demand that I follow you all the way back to the Papir Capital and stand trial based on Papir Laws." The officer hesitated no further.

"L-Lord Badala is to stand trial for the charges of War Crimes and-….. asserting Dictatorship over the Himalayan states under the pretext of Alliance."

"Oh? That's last bit, not what I expected."

"Who pressed these charges?" Saraswati asked a different question instead.

The Kyratis looked grave as they heard her question, knowing who it was.

"I asked you a question! Who pressed those charges?!" She physically manhandled the Papirese officer to the point that even he felt intimidated by this gorgeous officer.

Although, Ajay too had a little idea of who would be so bold to put him on trial. It had to be someone who held great righteousness in his bearing and believed heavily in law and public order. And most importantly, the moral compass.

So the Papirsese officer's response wasn't so unexpected.

"The charges were pressed by Lord Marshal Arjun Roka."


The most awkward of bunches, were those Papirese Guards.

Even when he agreed to accompany them back to their state, they had to depend on him to ferry them home. For everyone was now aware of the arrest of Badala of Lakshman by the ambitious Himavanan Alliance council. The checkpoints to the Airbase scorned the papir guards, Rohan wasn't willing to lend them an airplane to take back and even when Ajay told him to provide one, they made them sit in the cargo hold by the aircraft personnel while Ajay was given the comfort of the airlifter's pilot suite and lounge with Saraswati who insisted on tagging along. The Kyratis were showing every bit of resentment towards the Alliance by making life difficult for the guards that had been assigned the least honourable task of arresting their national hero. Ajay had to invite them into the cabin, because the trip would be a while. They were thankful, but pushed further into awkwardness.

Saraswati was quiet throughout the journey, but that didn't hide her resentment towards her father. It was seen on her face clear as day, Ajay told her not to frown because it was ruining her face. Brooding was his speciality. Instead, he had her distracted by playing a game of poker with the Papirese Guards. The Officer refrained from playing but the men were all for it. Until they found their pockets emptied by Saras of Papir rupee currency. About enough to stay at an inn for a few nights until this case was settled.

Ajay found himself in admiration of her ability to seek out opportunity and use it to her favor. He really was lucky to have even met her in the first place, in his last life there was no such chance encounter. His actions in supporting Golden Path had ensured that. Upon landing, the guards' attitude had become greatly respectful and brought him to the place of which he would be judged.

The council was waiting.

He was once again surprised by the sort of facilities that palace Garud Durbar had available to the Papirese government officials. He stood in the centre of a court auditorium, used by the Papir government in passing bills and other government decisions from the House of Representatives Chamber they were in.

Today, there were not just Papir ministers and bean counters. But every other member state's high ranking officials from Kumsa, Yinke and Kyrat. The agenda of this court was one of great importance to the fledgling alliance, brought into shaky situations repeatedly by the person standing in the centre accused of asserting dictatorship over the Himavana States.

The accused stood trial to a gauntlet of important government MPs of all states including their heads of states. Dhir of Papir, Tenzin of Yinke, King Surendra Kumsa and King Pagan Min of Kyrat who wore the gravest of expressions since he was brought forth…..

By none other than Marshal of Kyrat, Arjun Roka. Who filed the charges against the accused standing in cuffs, Ajay or as they knew him, Badala, Duke of Lakshman.

It was the most self-discuss topic amongst their peers, his fellow Kyrati had turned him in right before their sovereign. It represented a strife within the powerful state of Kyrat and its seats of power. Crowding the exterior of the court chamber rims were several hundred officers from Kyrat and Yinke. They had come to voluntarily stand against the charge placed upon him.

But all this would not have been possible if Ajay had not willingly come on his own accord. To follow the Papirese Republic Guards that had come to arrest him and bring him before this court. Because if he wasn't willing, Ajay would never have even allowed this hearing and trial to even take place. No one was capable of arresting him, no one would dare to press charge against him with the prestige of his deeds to back him, no one believed he was killable.

While the hearing had yet to begin, the participants and audience were in a fierce argument between whether Ajay had too much power over the military forces and was effectively a dictator over their states. Or if he was still the hero that repelled both Chinese and American Invasions.

Word of the battle at point 2153 had reached every member states ears and what was the aftermath of his victory. They were afraid of him to say the least. Afraid of a man who was willing to use nuclear weapons upon an enemy. This was why there was even any notion of a hearing and trial.

Ajay looked over at the rigid Arjun, seated with a stoic gaze towards the front. He smiled at his accuser who quickly stared front not to meet his gaze. Arjun took it as one of his sadistic tendencies, but the truth was much simpler and innocent.

Arjun had always represented moral justice within the Royal Kyrati Army, even his counterparts in the neighbouring countries knew of his reputation and virtue. It was for that reason he didn't advance far before Ajay came in. To rise to the pinnacle of power, virtue was a setback in politics. Ajay's theory on Military Organisation strength was to build it based on strong values that were enforced by its strongest appointment, being Arjun. From there, there was no reason to commit actions against moral when they followed by example. This enforcement should've been applied to Ajay as well.

Whereas, Ajay had never been part of the military. But when called upon to do the dirty work, he took up the job that would allow Arjun to proceed cleanly by sweeping the ugly truth aside. Whether Arjun knew of his intentions or not, didn't matter to Ajay.

Ajay was glad that someone still had the courage to stand up to him the right way. To Ajay, this was important in the foundations of character building of the people. A country that didn't fall upon examples of values, bravery or character was nothing more than a collective interest. An organization, a corporation, a system.

"Order in the court!" Dhir slammed the mallet against the wooden stopper to create the cliché courtroom command for order. The audience naturally quieten down as the court begun its proceeding.

"Duke Badala of Lakshman, Commandant of the Himavana Alliance coalition forces. You stand in trial on the charges of War Crimes and asserting Dictatorship over the Himalayan states of Yinke, Papir, Kumsa and Kyrat."

"Your Honour, I would like you to define your interpretation of War Crimes." Ajay cut in on his speech.

"Our term of War Crimes here in Papir constitutes any acts of indiscriminant killings, torture and violation of human rights laws."

"Right, thank you."

"Your welcome, now we-."

"I have done none of those then." Ajay interrupted Dhir as he stood against the charge. This response shocked the jury and audience as he denied it though most were aware of his cruel actions.

Ajay turned to an attorney that was assigned to him and seated next to him as well.

"You're fired. Take a hike." The attorney hesitantly got up and left as he was gazed at by Ajay. Recovering from that sentence, Dhir asked him.

"You openly deny despite evidence?"

"You don't have any evidence, you have assumptions, hear say and rumours. Your accusations are based upon an emotional insecurity of the recent geopolitical changes that affect our states and their continued state of normality. I just happen to be in the centre of where it always happens."

"So you're saying you took no part in the changes?"

"Of course I did. It was within my jurisdiction to act against all hostile intent against the interests of the Himavana Alliance. Even if it means incurring aggression from a superpower like United States or suppressing aggression from within. Lastly, your definition of War Crime is a constitution in Papir only. It does not apply to me regardless if I am Kyrati or representing the Himavanas."

The court room participants broke out into a heated discussion, some jeered at Ajay even. Mostly because of national pride being stomped upon when he shunned the judiciary of Papir right in front of the court.

"I will have order!... Your Grace, while the universal court system and legislations have not been centralized into one entity among our countries, you are still on Papirese soil."

"Was my charge commited on Republic soil?"

"N-No, it-."

"Then you have no right to bring me on trial. This becomes nothing more than a mock trial of finger pointing." The judge of the court could not fault him on this, but if only Kyrati law applied to him, Ajay was still invincible to accountability due to his sure backing from the sovereign and queen consort, this was where they wished he hadn't mentioned. Pagan chuckled lightly as Ajay showed he had the flow of conversation on his side.

"But let's say we did apply the laws of Kyrat here, I would still not be guilty on any level."

"On any level?! Your sin can be found in the mass graves of innocent civilians you ordered the butcher of!" Arjun spoke against him for the first time.

"What is your definition of innocence, Marshal? A bystander? A person who chose not to involve himself from political matters? Someone that says he takes no part but houses the very rebels that butchered other innocence, tortured the King's men and ransomed the loyal subjects?! That sounds a lot like the person who stuck to his own morals but ignored everyone in need around him. That's just mere self-righteousness."

Ajay looked around at the court seats, silent and appalled. He left Arjun feeling flustered and angered when it was referring slightly to him.

"What you gentlemen really want to ask is if I feel any guilt from the killings to which I say, I have none. Why should I feel sorry for the bastards that turncoat against our nation, sold us out to foreign forces, and stripped our people of their right to define Kyrats future? How many have I killed in these wars? Thousands alone, tens of thousands by my commands. Young, old, men, women, children and cripple. I have curled many countless and I will continue to do so. I am responsible for shaping the way you gentlemen have it nice up on those seats, I am responsible for putting you there to govern our lands in unity. So if you ask if I have the time to feel guilt or sympathy, then my answer is still no. I am here, not because you demand it so. But because I chose to come here."

The audience jeered at him as he expected, it took a mass of provost guards and the judge's orders to shut them up.

"Is this all you wish to put in your defense?" Dhir asked calmly.

"No. Your honour." He turned to the audience as if to address them again rather than just Dhir.

"I'm not doing this for anyone's sake, not for Kyrat, nor his royal highness if he will forgive my insolence. My actions are mine alone. I want Kyrat to prosper, I want the Himavanans to hold their heads up high for generations. I want the world to stop looking down on our existence as a pitiful excuse for nations! We are capable of so much that you gentlemen could hardly believe, our people are willing for change, our soldiers are brave, our civil servants are just and loyal. All these aspects don't come together at once ever so often anywhere or anytime, so the fact that you chose to withhold this potential is the crime that I see all of you have commited instead!"

Pagan smiled lightly, Arjun was of a sour expression, he was still convinced that Ajay had a silver tongue and it was not his true intentions. But it was shaming the members in the court and pushed the weight of the conversation in his favour.

"You question my actions and the means of which I justify myself. But did you ever ask what would happen if I hadn't acted?"

(thang) Ajay pulled the cuffs and broke the links with ease and with an inhuman force that shocked the crowds stiff in their seats. They shuddered as he approached the front of the podium where the four sovereigns sat. It was his way of indicating to them and the guards that they truly had not hold over him.

"If I didn't take up the appointment of Marquis from his Royal Highness, would Lakshman be founded or will it still be the Valley of Death? If I didn't challenge Golden Path, would they have routed into the mountains?"

He walked to the front of Tenzin.

"If I hadn't pushed Golden Path would they have turned to their Shining Way compatriots? I would never have known or cared for what went on in Yinke. Forget about reinstating you, let's talk about Yinkes future with China. When I visited your city, I saw squalor where it should have been clean and standard, poverty when every man was equal, gang violence, corrupted officials and law enforcement, radical military officers. I saw the makings of a failing state that even Kyrat hadn't plunged into. The only destined route is the Annexation of Yinke into the People's Republic of China. Some of you might think it's a good thing to be a part of a bigger country. So easy it is to cast aside your former identity as Yinkians and become Chinese. But did you see it from their angle, do they really believe you are fellow Zhong Guo Ren (Chinese Nationals) or just a conquered land?"

Tenzin had nothing to say, Ajay wasn't directly accusing him on anything or saying he was in the position as Premier because of Ajay. Ajay walked over to face the judge of the hour, Dhir.

"The Republic has had a rich history of bloody revolution, you know the consequences of external intervention in a civil war. That's why you've always took the neutral path in external affairs, you aren't wrong. But events that require your attention can't be ignored any longer, you are part of the Himavana lowlands as well."

"What are you trying to get at, Badala?" Arjun spoke coldly.

"I'm assuming all of you are aware of the nuclear incident, am I right? Well, I'm going to shed some light on the events that took place and evidence to support it."

He looked back to the public seats again to address them.

"These lands that our forefathers founded our territories didn't belong to us originally when they first settled here from the Indus Valley. The mountains were built and inhabited by the Rakshasa."

The crowd broke into loud yells and jeers as well as arguments.

"Order!" Dhir shouted to quieten them once more. He looked at Ajay with a serious light.

"Your grace, you have better give an explanation for this."

"Don't worry, I will. But for now, we'll put the Rakshasa thing aside, because it doesn't just involve them."

Dhir sighed and rested back to give him to chance to talk.

"Your honour, you're not going to allow this scoundrel to continue to feed us with this crap, are you?!" Arjun was incessed by Ajay's answer just moments ago and wanted to silence he for good.

"Shut up, Arjun! You damn stubborn-!" Pagan suddenly yelled out as he'd reached the limit of his tolerance. How could his own general bring up a trial without passing it through him first? No matter how right he might be, he was disrespecting the throne.

"Your Highness! I will ask you to refrain from any further remarks. You are in the presence of the court, your subjects too are here. Do not let them see the unbecoming of their King." Dhir handled it tactfully to which Pagan retreated and sat back on his seat. Pagan was reminded that there were cameras streaming this live to the national television as they spoke.

"Lord Badala will be allowed to explain himself as well as defend his own case, even if it pertains multiple accounts and evidence to form a single supportive construction. When it is your turn, you may speak and pass evidence to support your stand against him." He said to Arjun who nodded in understanding.

Dhir waved a hand out for Ajay to continue, Ajay bowed curtly to thank him for the chance to speak unhindered.

"To some, it is a mere story. But to a select few during Operation Mímisbrunnr, the covert ops in disguise as a training exercise, this became our reality. I'm talking about why Kyrat plunged into Civil war."

The Kyratis were in a silent discussion as he mentioned something quite proalific in their history.

"October 12th, 1985. Soviet Union chased a classified stealth bomber under the designation "Aurora" over the Himalayas. Passing over point 2153 which possessed a strong electro magnetic field, caused its flight systems to malfunction and crash there. This plane represented a significant asset base to the US government that funded it, as it was not just a reconnaissance drone, but an active provisional nuclear bomber. It had a payload of four armed and ready B83 free fall nuclear bombs. One Megaton yield each."

Shock rushed through their hearts when they heard of such a tale.

"Not allowing such a dangerous asset to be found by the Russians, the CIA dispatched two young agents by the names of Willis Huntley and Paul Lynch. To cover their tracks, they insinuated the Nationalists to rebel and gave them the tools and training to usurp the throne. But it doesn't stop there, on the same year they stormed the Devi Palace and massacred the Royal family."

As they went heated discussion again, Ajay pulled out a USB drive and placed in on the judge's desk.

"This contains the testimony from both as well as pictures of their written plans and authorization documents from Langley." Torturing broken people wasn't his style, but he got what he needed from them. He recalled a stash that Willis dug in Meh Teh once, he was surprised to find all of the files necessary to stand against them.

A projector was hastily setup and played the images before them. As Ajay explained the importance of each of them. Once he was done he turned to Pagan.

"Without your permission, I declared War against United States. Forgive me for not speaking sooner."

Pagan waved his hand.

"Forgiven. In view of the bigger picture I would have done the same. Good thing you taught them a lesson."

Ajay smiled.

"Although, they're far from having paid for the consequences yet. They still owe us a ton of reparations which I will get from them eventually."

Pagan chuckled despite everyone elses' dismay at his foolhardiness.

"You may have the right to defend Kyrat against them, but what right did you have to nuke them, to order the mass execution of thousands who had surrendered as per Geneva." Once again, Arjun was the advocate to the accusations against him.

"I have two questions that'll answer your questions, Marshal. One, what gives anybody the right to use nuclear weapons on millions? American President Truman did so on the Japanese. My actions are no different. As to the protocols of Geneva, what good is a law that is only enforced by one side?"

Ajay took out a cartridge round and held it up.

"These are hollow point tip rounds we scavenged off the US expedition. They can't pierce body armour as well as normal round do, but on contact with flesh has nasty excruciating aftermaths. They're banned for military use by both Geneva and Hagues Convention, yet the expedition was using them. Thinking they'd encounter unprotected people and disorganised militia. Besides, when we caught them they renounced their allegiance to US on "camera" so we gun them down for being a dangerous gathering of armed terrorists." Arjun turned blue, to think he ordered a firing execution of the US soldiers.

"If any sort of sympathy I handed to them, it was coup de grace. They had encountered the Rakshasa and sustained heavy casualties without support."

"Again, with this Rakshasa! Have you not enough of this nonsense?!"

"Marshal, while it does sound very fantasy-like I wish it was anything but a reality. But here's a point that'll prove their existence."

"You want to know why I used the nuke upon that American fleet, but I have to inform you that it was not by my choice to have done it. I was forced to do it, because the President of the United States had told a rag-tag bunch of Marines to arm it to go off in twenty minutes from when we encountered them. And where did they arm it? Well… right where all of you are standing."

Now, it was not just the audience that was in shock, but Arjun and Pagan as well.

"What?!"

"Unbelievable! So then-."

"Badala saved us?.."

It was at this moment, that everyone felt like idiots. Accusing their saviour, who saved over thirty million lives with their selfish assertion to rule on their own without his guidance.

"I still don't understand…. How did you then shift the armed nuclear bomb set for twenty minutes over thousands of miles to where the American Fleet was?" Arjun pointed out the one piece that didn't fit.

"When we found it, there was around five minutes left. But here's my proof for the Rakshasa's existence."

"Are you…. Saying that the Rakshasa-…. Sent the bomb to them?"

Everyone was quiet. But the question floated around their heads was obvious.

"Why?"

"Because this is their home as well, to let the Americans taint it with the nuke was never an option to them."

No aircraft, no matter how fast could travel three thousand miles under the time he had been allocated. It wasn't humanly possible, even if he was lying and he did transport it. Under twenty minutes it would still be impossible. The only explanation was a mysterious power that could transport the nuclear warheads elsewhere, and where better than those infidels that dared to bomb their sacred grounds.

He was sure, that the Pentagon and Washington were wondering the same thing. How did he transport a nuke that distance when they'd armed it. The question to that answer scared them the most, it highlighted the possibility of Ajay pulling that ability off perhaps a few more times. If he wanted, he could send them back all three warheads primed to seconds and ready to go off in any of their capital cities back in the states or any of their naval fleets loitering the area. Of course, he had no such ability, but it didn't stop him from letting them think that.

He wanted them to realize the vulnerability of their farce and admit defeat or he would make life more of a living hell to recede with face still left for them to hold their heads up high.

"Are we to understand that you had dealings with the Rakshasa leadership, then?" Ajay nodded.

"After the battle, I discussed a short ceasefire with their Crown Princess."

"How long do we have?" Pagan asked.

"A week till the Rakshasa Pillars attack, first wave will consist of the Golden Path, followed by their clones."

The Kyratis were nervous, as it implied their country was going to receive the blunt of the attacks. The vengeful Golden Path accompanied by vicious Rakshasa warriors.

"Clones?"

"They're reserving their strength for the big one."

"Why-… Why didn't you bring this up to the committee sooner?!" Arjun shouted angrily, he knew the strategic disadvantage of fighting an enemy with only a week of preparation.

"Would you have believed me? If the Demon of Kyrat sprouted tales like Rakshasa without evidence, you would all take me for a deranged fool."

All were quiet in the presence of that remark, because it was the truth. Dhir talked with the other council members who were the heads of state and after a short consensus he stood up to address them.

"The committee and myself will discuss further. We will take a break here. Court adjourned." Dhir accompanied the four state leaders into a back room where they discussed their workings.

Surendra looked Ajay's way until their eyes met. He gave an old smile before entering the discussion room in the back.

It was at this time that the courtroom became as loud as a marketplace of discussion. Ajay looked around calmly and had a look over at his accuser standing firm in his beliefs. He sighed and shook his head a little. Arjun may have been right, but right didn't make up everything in the world.

Then, a figure approached Arjun, bearing some features of resemblance to him.

"Daughter-(smack)." The old man's face glowed from the rather hard smack. His own flesh and blood glared at him not as a child to a father but as if he were a hopeless fool.

"How dare you." Those three words rattled throughout the Courtroom and ceased all discussions.

"This is none of your concern. Go back before you embarrass yourself." Arjun replied defiantly.

"Huh! Like you are right now?"

"Daughter, my patience wears thin."

"Does it now. I'm absolutely stunned by the gall you have to do what you're doing now."

"What I'm doing is for the good of the state." He insisted adamantly.

"You really aren't grateful at all, aren't you?" Saraswati looked at him like she'd lost all respect for him. It hurt him deep within as she would never have shown this or done such a thing to the father she admired.

Her hand grabbed hold of his rank of Marshal on his insignia rank.

"You're wearing this spotless uniform with pride because he had to clean the filth on your behalf. Haven't you learnt your lesson after your conscience betrayed Mohan first then destroyed his family next?"

She shoved him back in resentment.

"You make me ashamed to be called your daughter."

Arjun's rage had suddenly reached a point which even he did not think was possible, his hand raised naturally to deliver a harsh reprimand physically upon his own daughter. Saraswati did not brace for the slap but welcomed it as a means to sever he ties with him.

But the slap did not come, for a hand had grabbed hold of his wrist and prevented it from reaching her cheek.

"I think that'll be enough for today, Swati." Ajay said to her.

"You can't be-."

"You might not respect his decision, but that doesn't give you the right to shame him in front of everyone. You aren't his liege, you're his daughter." Ajay let go of the hand as he knew it would not reach her now that Arjun's anger had quickly subsided.

"I'll be done with this in a jiffy, this was never a trial to begin with." Ajay said with a thoughtful smile to ease her worries. Saraswati receeded as well and stepped back away from them, she went around the seating piles and waited.

Ajay returned to his seating area.

"Don't get the wrong idea. You have my thanks." Arjun declared.

"I'm not. I hope you know she didn't mean what she said. Like you, she can be prone to sudden impulses as well. Nobodies perfect."

"Damn it. Are you even aware I'm pressing charges against you?" He scorned.

"Of course, Arjun. You're doing a very brave thing here. You've proved to everything that even I am not above the law and am not unapproachable or unaccountable to mandates which we set out. To be honest, I was expecting this day to come sooner or later. And I was hoping it would be you."

"Are you right in the head?"

"Maybe not, but I want you to know. I don't hold it against you for doing this. You are Pagan's right hand and conscience. You always have been." Ajay took to walking back to his seat after making Arjun feel awkward in his.

"Yunno. It's really a coincidence, I was just thinking of visiting you and Madam Roka this afternoon." Ajay chuckled thinking about it as he returned not a moment too soon.

The councilors had returned from their discussion and the break had ended. The heads of state sat on their seats and the jury quieten down. Pagan exchanged a look of relief with Ajay to say the talk went well.

"Case resume. Lord Badala of Lakshman. Do you have anything further to add to your previous defence."

"None, your honour." Ajay answered firmly as he'd placed down everthing he had to give. He braced for their final verdict.

"Very well, then the court has made its decision."