After a little bickering with Juno, Aariv prepared to go back to the mortal world.
"I think it's time to go back," he said to Krishna.
"Yes, you should go back, you've already been here for 3 days," Krishna said.
Aariv was shocked, he thought that it had just been hours since he came.
"Damn it, this place is too magical," he said and dismissed his thoughts.
"I'll also be leaving soon," Krishan informed him.
*sigh*
"I guess from now on the lost city of Dwarka will always remain lost," Aariv said with a disappointed face.
"And what about that Kaliya snake?" he continued.
"I'll take him with me, I think he has repented enough, it's about time I grant him Moksha(eternal bliss)" Krishna said and waved his hand. Kaliya materialized in front of them.
Aariv looked at the surprised giant snake, who seemed surprised too. It looked left and right and then noticed Krishna.
"Oh, master, I finally get to see you" It bowed with fanaticism.
...
Aariv wasn't interested so he walked out, Balrama helped Aariv go back. Soon he found himself back underwater. He looked back and the large structure was nowhere to be found.
He would probably not see Krishna for a long time now, he decided to go back to the capital and leave for Himalaya now. Aariv was sure that the damage was already done and the butterfly had already flapped its wings, he could just hope that things would not change too much.
Aariv swam fast and got out of the water, surprisingly the storm was gone too.
~Maybe it was all because of that building~ he thought.
He looked around and saw no boat around, he needed to swim to the shore. Aariv started swimming and also used his Hydrokinesis to give himself a push.
It took 30 minutes for him to reach the shore. He got out of the water and dried himself with Aerokinesis(Air manipulation). Jojo who sensed Aariv around came and sat down on his shoulders.
"It's you, how are you still alive?" A man screamed while pointing at Aariv.
Aariv looked at the source and saw the boatman who took him to the storm. The man's voice attracted the guard's attention.
They came and looked at the boy wearing weird clothes, a long sword and a falcon on his shoulder.
"Your highness," all three guards saluted and bowed to Aariv. They were not regular guards but the soldiers of the Mauryan army.
"How did the siege go?" Aariv asked.
"His majesty defeated king Malayketu and made them run back to their territory. Saurashtra is under the empire now." One of them answered.
Aariv nodded, he knew this was going to happen,
"Okay, I am going back to Patliputra, you continue on" He said and walked away.
"We'll escort you, your highness," a guard said.
"No need, and don't be foolish to follow me" Aariv ordered.
...
Aariv walked to the city gate, he noticed the changes around the city. As it was a pilgrimage site so there weren't any enemy forces around, the city guards had retained their jobs even after their kingdom was taken over by Chandragupta.
He decided to run back to the kingdom as a horse would slow him down. He got out of the city and was greeted by a disgusting sight.
The guards who tried to take Aariv's sword when he was entered were doing something foolish once again. They had surrounded a woman and a small 3 or 4-year-old boy who was shielding his mother. They looked malnourished as if they hadn't eaten for weeks and their clothes were also ripped from here and there.
"You dirty blood, go somewhere else, don't sit here," the leader guard yelled.
"Please give me some food," the woman said in a weak voice.
[Bam]
The guard kicked the woman and yelled. "You damn filth, get away from my sight"
"Please don't hurt mommy" The kid gathered some courage and spoke, getting in between his mother and the guard.
"Oh... and what if I hurt you?" The guard said and lifted his foot to kick the kid.
His kick was about to reach the child but a hand suddenly grabbed the foot.
The guard looked at the person and spoke angrily, "it's you"
"Yes it's me, your nightmare," Aariv said and used his other arm's elbow to hit the guard's knee, directly breaking his kneecap, the guard's leg folded in ways a leg wasn't meant to.
"Haha... that's what you call professionalism, no blood only pain," Aariv said with slight anger and mockery in his voice.
"Aaaaaaaaaaa, how... how dare you... you... you will pay... for this" The spoke in pain.
"Yes, I will pay you but not right now, GUARDS" Aariv yelled loudly and soon some Mauryan soldiers came there.
They recognized Aariv and saluted.
"Take these animals and lock them in the cages, I'll deal with them later" He ordered.
The soldiers arrested all 5 guards and took them away, Aariv went closer to the mother and son. The child was helping his mother anxiously, it looked like the guard's kick injured her ribs and she was having trouble breathing.
"Bring some food, clothes and water," Aariv ordered another guard.
He went and stroked the head of the child, "Let me help, brave kid"
The child was suspicious but still stepped aside. Aariv used his biokinesis secretly and healed the woman and then he healed the kid. Seeing they were out of danger he decided to ask, "What happened, why are you two here, like this?"
The woman sat up and looked at Aariv, he could see the pain in her eyes. "Those monsters, they... they robbed us first and then captured us... they kept us hungry for 2 weeks...my... my" She started crying.
Aariv looked at her and gave her some water which the guard brought. She drank it rushedly like she had never seen water in her life, the kid did the same.
Aariv was enraged by now. How could someone be so cruel?
The woman then continued, "My husband somehow got free from their clutches and helped us escape but in the process they killed him with a bow." She then looked at the ground and cried.
"Can you tell me where the bandit camp is?" Aariv asked.
"Just in that Jungle," She pointed at a jungle some distance away.
Aariv stood up and looked at the guard and asked "What is your name?"
"It's Vama, your highness," Vama replied hurriedly.
Aariv nodded and said, "Vama, take them to the doctors and give them good food, stay with them until I come back"
...
Aariv dashed towards the jungle,
"Juno, find their camp with Jojo"
"Aye aye sir," Juno affirmed.
After some searching they found the bandit camp. 20 bandits were living there. He didn't wait and barged in like he owned the place.
"gather around boys, it's time to die," He said loudly.
Soon he was surrounded by 20 men armed with swords and knives. Aariv looked at them and asked.
"Why did you do that, wasn't robbing them enough? why torture them?"
"hahaha, because it was fun, and that woman was tasty as hell, aren't I right boys?" the tallest of the bandits who was the leader said.
"Haha, yeah that body was Jucy," Bandit 2 said.
"Doing it in front of her man was even more amazing?" Bandit 3 said.
"Aariv, don't let them off easy" Juno said to Aariv.
before another bandit spoke, Aariv roared. "ENOUGH"
"I was going to grant you a quick death but it seems like you need to repent first. I will make you regret being born," Aariv declared.
"Haha what are you going to d..." Their leader couldn't complete the sentence because he felt losing control over his body.
It was not just him but all the other 19 bandits felt the same. Some of them started panicking. Soon they all fell down, they could speak and feel but not move.
Aariv picked each of them and piled them on the ground in a line.
"Let's start the punishment now." He pulled out his knife.
He first went close to the leader and started skinning his body from head to tow, he made sure that he didn't cut deep enough to let him bleed. The leader started screaming in pain, the others could not move their bodies so they couldn't see what was happening and that made them feel more scared.
"Now for the final part, let's cut your stick" Aariv cut the guy's dick off.
He then proceeded to the next guy, leaving the leader alive, without skin on his body.
Aariv repeated this with all of them, they all screamed, they all felt despair. After he was done with the last guy he went to the barely alive leader.
"Don't give up on me, it's time for round two" Aariv said and used biokinesis to heal him back, just to skin him again.
Doing all that was straining Aariv but still, to him, it was worth it.
He repeated that with them 4 times and was finally going for the 5th.
"Just kill us, please... please," they started to plead.
"I can't take this anymore," another one said.
"Why are you doing this to us?" the 3rd guy said with a painful voice.
"Hahaha... because it is FUN," Aariv said, emphasizing on the last word.
Just a while ago they had said the same thing.
"she must have asked for a quick death too, but you didn't show mercy, so why should I?" Aariv mocked them and went back to skinning them.
After doing it 8 times Aariv started to feel strain on his body,
"Good news guys, I will not do it anymore," he said, giving them hope.
"But that doesn't mean the punishment is over" he broke their last remaining will.
[Slash]
He cut their hands and feet but making sure they don't die and bleed slowly.
"Alright I am going now, but don't worry I'll invite some wolves to keep you company," Aariv said and started to howl loudly, he was sure that they would come smelling all the blood.
He then walked away, and none of the bandits spoke or pleaded.
Aariv searched for the body of the husband for a while, it still had an arrow in his back. He was surprised to see that the man was a Brahmin(priest caste).
His wife was treated like a peasant at the gates of the city because she had torn up and dirty clothes.
~I guess clothes decided a man's class these days~
He picked up the dead man's body and headed back to the city.