Entanglement With Fate (Part 2)

12. The Challenge

"Asuras, great asuras flee from the battlefield when they see Vishnu jump off Garuda and twirl his sword. Sudarshan Chakra is an infamous weapon of his but he hardly needs it. The stories of him using Sudarshan chakra are rare in comparison to the stories of him in a battle. Asuras flee when they see him unstiffen his neck. He flips his sword and the heads roll down from heads. His reputation is so fearsome among the asuras that even his idols aren't kept here for that reason." Yashasvi said. "My father was said to be one of the greatest asura soldiers who has fought devas. He got so scared of Vishnu who appeared on the battlefield that he actually brought me to the battlefield as a shield."

"What!!" Everyone exclaimed. Not even Mayura, Videsha and Kanika knew this.

Yashasvi took the idol and looked at him. "Have you heard of netra darshan? I had heard from some nagas about humans arriving in large groups at a temple of Hari for netra darshan." Yashasvi chuckled. "The netra darshan that asuras have is something that will leave them in broken. His lotus-like eyes resemble swords. Like looking into a fearsomely hungry tiger from a deer's point of view. That is how his netra darshan seems."

"Yashasvi how did you come out alive from the battle?" Raj asked.

"Because it was Vishnu who saved me."

I was confused. She looked at her arm.

"Yashasvi, mind explaining properly? Why did Vishnu save you? I mean? It makes no sense."

"Because he scanned the entire battlefield and saw her. A little girl. It instantly reminded him of me." I realized. Yashasvi looked at me. "It made him think that perhaps even I would have been that scared when I did not find him next to me."

"He tried to tell my father to leave the battlefield with me. He promised my father that he wouldn't let anyone kill me or him in this battle. But my father thought that it was his weakness. He used me as a shield. Virat didn't care much. He even encouraged my father because they all thought that Vishnu would save me and I would save my father. My mother cried profusely begging Virat to return me back to her. But he kicked her away. He only wanted victory. I lost all hope that I would survive so even I tried to save my father. Vishnu aimed his bow but I stood before my father. For the first time in the entire history till today, Vishnu let his weapons fall. The asuras hurled all kinds of weapons at him." Yashasvi's hands shook slightly. "I still remembered the day. 8 feet tall with his shoes and crown. Bleeding from the arrows attacking him. The devas shouted his name to make him pick up his weapon. He walked towards me and offered me his hand. I don't know why, I still cannot understand what happened to me then. I actually felt hope for once that I will survive. His eyes softened looking at me. I still felt scared and inched closer to my father. My father was just as scared. He pushed me away and fled out of fear. The devas tried to tell Vishnu to let me be and not care much."

I smiled knowingly. He saw me inside Yashasvi and felt compassionate. He wanted to care for her the way he didn't get to care for me.

"He called Garuda and asked him to fly around and look for my mother. My mother has passed out. Once Garuda found her, he informed Vishnu. Leaving battle halfway, he took me to my mother. He woke up my mother. She instantly latched on to me. I held her tightly, shaken completely. He called Guru Amarka and Chanda and told them to accept me as their student. A father has to give some donations when the student goes to Gurukul for the first time. Virat said that if Vishnu took off his crown, the Gurus would take me and teach me. Vishnu took off his crown and gave it to them. Shukracharya still has that crown in his bungalow."

"So, my dad did the rites a father has to do for his child's education?"

"Yes, because a person who can sacrifice his child to serve his purpose is not deserving of enjoying the happiness of having a child. My mother never missed my father. My father wasn't there before, so I didn't miss him anymore. He had always been an absent father. He wanted a boy who could fight beside him. I wish I could show him what I am today. My father refused to send me to Gurukul because he didn't care."