'Chandra!' a distant shout called. Vilified.
He didn't listen. He wanted to run away. He wanted to outrun the world. And he did. At just the age of 13,he was a better rider than any of his older companions. Companions,still,none of them were actually his friends except for Siddharth and Kapil. Siddharth was with the guru at the university. And Kapil ?
Kapil went to war. The year is 326. The foreign invaders are decimating North East Bharat. They're not mere Persians looters,or those raiders of Eastern desarts. These men are Greek. Cruel. Able bodied. Strong. Clad in cold steel armor. Armed in swords and spears. And 40000 strong. Their leader is the same aged as Kapil, only 23. And he's at the head of that large an army. It is said that he has a dream of conquering all of the known world. That's not special,Chandra thought. What's damn special about him is he made half of that dream come true. His men worship him,and he is a great warrior himself. He destroyed the Ahalyan army,killed King Hastin in single combat and captured Puskalvati. But what he did later ? The thought alone made Chandra's body tremble with anger and fear. He burned the ancient city to ground and put every men,women and child to sword. As their cries echoed through the soul of Bharat, Alexander is on his way to western part of the country now. With King Puru marching against him. A month before a group of envoys from Puru came at Taxila,asking for any able bodied men willing to join Puru's side in the battle against Alexander. The battle for the motherland. The battle for Mahabharat. Kapil went with them,along with some 50 men,most of them mercenaries. But Kapil didn't want any money. When Chandra was crying and telling him not to go,the fool just smiled and said "Don't cry,little brother. I'm going to battle for Bharat's soul. If we dont,then who will ? I promise I'll come back to you,covered in glory."
Chandra wanted to believe that. But he cannot. He understood certain things more than any boy of his age. He knew King Puru won't be able to stop Alexander. Neither will any of the Eastern Kings. Entire Bharat contained at least 200 Kings,and they're squabbling amongst themselves even at the moment when this foreign enemy is going to take over the country. Why ? Why would they do this ? Have they forgotten that they are Khsatriya ? Have they forgotten they're solemn oaths,of defending the weak and fight against the tyrants ?
'Khsyatriya'. The word filled him with dismay. Chandra wanted to go with Kapil. He urged guru Chanakya to let him accompany the envoys because he also wanted to cover himself in glory. He said how he bested Kapil and the other men double his age during their training seasons with a sword. He begged Chanakya. But all the guru had for him at first was a calm 'no'. But when Chandra insisted that he'll go....
Drops of tear rolled down the boy's eyes. He unhorsed. His horse Mallya is a big black Persiansat down beside the river. After he asked harshly if Kapil can go,so why cannot he,the Brahmin stood up,looked at him and the envoys around him and replied "Kapil is a Khsyatriya. A highborn,so was his father and his father before him. He's destinied to go to battle. You're not. Your father was a Shudrya village's chief. Don't forget where you came from."
Chandra was crying back then. He lowered his face so that the other men in that room cannot see his tears. But he knew all their eyes were fixed upon him. And they were full of hate and dismay. The day after,they left. Without him. He haven't spoken to Guru Chanakya ever since. And now training 8 hours a day with his sword. He has a hope that when Alexander comes to Magadha,he'll join the fight in Dhanananda's forces. It surely won't matter which caste he belongs to then,and he'll be better than all the Khsyatriyas in Magadha. He'll be the first to charge at the enemy forces. "Perhaps I'll slay Alexander myself." He whispered as his mouth tightened.
A voice inside him laughed. "with what ? You don't even have a real sword. You train with a sword with blunt edges." Part of him wanted to cry. But he swore that he won't cry again after leaving the university on tears that day. Instead,he took off his clothes. The night was very cold. But Chandra's heart was colder. He jumped into the river. The cold embraced him.