As Bhishma stared at the floating Karna, a single thought arose in his mind. He has no openings. Despite being old, he was a warrior at heart. He knew it would be unwise, but he wanted to test his guru-bhrata's battle sense, he wanted to see for himself what it would be like to be a student of Parashuram, after 2 generations. However before that, he needed to safeguard the lives of the princes of Hastinapur. That was his responsibility, his promise...
Utilising his Kundalini Shakti, he constructed a shield over the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who were surrounding the unconscious Bheem and Arjun.
"Soldiers! Evacuate the residents of Hastinapur. Make sure no one is harmed!"
Taking up his bow and sword, he jumped from the royal gallery to the centre of the colosseum.
"You, Suryaputra! You have the blood of a God, yet you take the side of these Shudras instead of us Kshatriyas! Why! You call this Sut-putra your brother? Don't you feel dirty? Come with us, we can give you anything you want!"
Bhishma was tired of these idiots. As stupid as Dushasan was, he needed to understand when to stop belittling people. Trash! Absolute trash! To think such a person bears the blood of the Chandravanshi Kurus!
A spear cascaded towards the shield Bhishma had created. He recognized it. It was Vel, the greatest spear ever created, the weapon with which Kartikeya had defeated the demon king Surapadma, also called Shakti, and the pride of the Gandharvas!
"You, how do you have that weapon."
Karna turned his eyes towards Bhisma. His eyes held only rage, an inferno that could very well singlehandedly destroy the entirety of the Kuru Vansh!
"That is none of your concern, Pitamaha. Do you not wish to fight though? Guruacharya said you would be itching to fight me as soon as you saw me."
Suddenly Bhishma sensed the shield he had created shatter. Turning in shock, he found Dushassan on the earth, supported by two of his brothers, bleeding out from a wound on his shoulder. A spine curdling rage gripped his mind.
"I give you a day boy, since you and I share the same Guru. If I do not cripple you, my promise would be broken."
Karna grinned.
"Very well, pitamaha. One day. However, I ask for permission to visit the royal place tonight. There are two people I wish to meet."
Bhishma pondered. It could very well spell doom.
"Fine. But swear, that you shall not hurt anyone."
"I promise."
"Very well then You have permission."
A single glance towards Kunti told her all she needed to know. She would wait, for now.
As soon as Shon and Karna returned home, Radha Maa and Adirath Baba tackled them both to a hug.
"We head everything. Where are you hurt. Let me see."
Radha knew that Karna had the divine gift of the golden armor, and as long as he was alive, nothing could harm Shon. Yet it was a mother's mind, it could only be calmed after she verified it herself.
"Don't worry Maa. Bhrata is very powerful. Those runt princes could not even stand in front of him."
Shon's carefree smile lit up the entire space. Adirath smiled seeing his wife's and children's happy smiles and tears.
"Oh Bhagwan. Thank you. Thank you for keeping them safe. My family is finally safe."
That night, he went to the royal palace. He did not even spare a glance at the shivering guardsmen, and strutted into the royal palace. There he asked the first maid he met,
"Devi, I am looking for the royal chambers of Mata Kunti. Is it possible for you to lead her there."
Seeing, such a beautiful male asking her for guidance, she could only blush and nod. She slowly led him to the royal chmabers of Mata Kunti, where she whispered something to the guard. He promtly glanced at him once, before his eyes widened in recognition. He immediately went inside the room. A few seconds later, he came out and opened the door wide, from where 5 dasis exited.
"Rani Kunti has granted you permission for an Ekanth Conversation."
Mentally preparing himself, he entered the chambers of the mother he had not seen up close since his birth. As he entered, he found his mother. There she was, standing in the moonlight, with her hair in a bun. She wore the clothes of a widow, yet her face, it stayed the same. The same sadness, the same apologies flashing in her eyes.
"Putra, putra!"
"Maa. I did not forget you maa. See, I'm here."
Before he could approach her though, she ran into his arms.
"Oh, putra, where were you. 60 years, I have waited, knowing that I will perhaps never meet you again. Oh, you have no idea child, the sadness I have walked with ever since that day. If only, if only I had the courage and strength to not let you go."
"Oh, but maa, you never sinned. No maa. Don't drop your tears, they are too precious to be shed. See, I'm here Ma. I promise you ma, I will never go very far far away from you ma, a single call, and I will be at your feet."
Kunti smiled, her clear tears reflecting the moon.
"Oh, Karna..."
"MAA!"
Bheem and Arjun burst through the door, followed by the rest.
"Maa! What has he done to you. Don't worry, we are here!"
Karna could not help but chuckle. Not only was the fact that he would hurt Maa Kunti laughable, but also the fact that they thought they could stop him, if he wanted to do anything. Kunti soon after started to laugh as well, leaving the Pandavas perplexed.
"Maa, do you wish to tell them. Whoever they may be, whatever their hearts, they are your children. They have a right to know."
"You zare right. But I'm afraid Karna. What if they cannot accept it, what if..."
Karna gave a child-like smile, as beautiful and calming as the sun on a spring morning.
"Don't worry maa. If they don't understand, I'll just beat some sense into them. Don't underestimate the strength of this Parushurama Shishya Maa.
"Fine."
Givving a small chuckle, Kunti stood up and faced the Pandavas with a seriousness that made them all stand in line. This was one of the few moments that they saw not their mother, but Maharani Kunti, the Dharmapatni of Maharaj Pandu.
"What I am about to tell you is something that is from my past. This was before I married your father. After surving Rishi Durvasa, I was gifted a divine mantra, that could summon any god to be the father of my child. In my pure ignorance, I decided to test out the mantra's effectiveness. Thus I summoned the most radiant of all, the one who is neutral to all creatures, Bhagwan Suryanarayan."
The Pandavas eyes widened slowly, as they started to connect the dots.
"I thus gave birth, as an unmarried child, to a radiant boy, who was the only child of Suryanarayaan to contain his Radiance and Magnificence. However, my abhagi fate, it forced me to give the child up."
This was where her composure broke, and where Karna once again held her shoulder.
"He was the eldest of you all. He was so pure, radiant! The most beautiful child, I ever saw. He did inherit his father's looks. But seems like he did also inherit his mother's pride."
Giving a short chucklem she met the eyes of the wide eyed Pandavas.
"Panduputras. Meet Kaunteya Karna, my first born, and your eldest brother."
Just as she finished her story, a man walked into her room. Pitamaha Bhishma! His eyes held visible rage.
"How dare you lie to the Kuru Vansh Kunti!"