There was a prolonged silence in the room. Maharaj attempted to gather his thoughts and redirected the discussion to the primary subject by asking, "What did the captive soldier said about that individual?"
"Is it true that an unknown youth possesses Earth bending?"
"The dying soldier mentioned Earth bending to me as well, but I have not witnessed its manifestation myself," Ugraketu replied.
The king pondered for a moment before stating, "Send a message to Arthala regarding Earth bending."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
The king summoned the gatekeeper and instructed him to call for commander Vaibhav.
"Maharaj! I have brought the ashes of the esteemed warrior Kaan to pay tribute," Kali announced.
The king glanced at the ashes but remained quiet. After a while, Commander Vaibhav made his entrance. The king commanded the commander, "Imprison Sudas for the murder of the honorable Kaan and declare three days of state mourning throughout the kingdom. Tomorrow morning, the revered Kaan will receive warrior honors by the banks of Sangam."
Taking the ashes from Kali with his consent, Commander Vaibhav departed. Unable to bear the sorrow etched on his king's face, Kali respectfully asked, "May I also take my leave, Maharaj?"
The king nodded in response, and Kali exited.
The pain experienced by one individual can indeed be felt by another, yet the depth of that pain is a personal journey that cannot be truly shared. The Maharaja removed his gold ornaments and cast them to the ground.
Kali departed from the Maharaj's chamber and made his way to the underground prison. He held the position of head of the intelligence department of Kudar, having taken up this role on the same day Chakradhar ascended to the throne. Being of the same age and a good-hearted individual, the Maharaj and Kali enjoyed a close relationship. The Maharaj regarded Kali as both a friend and a spy, valuing his insights on matters of the state.
Kali arrived at the prison in the late hours and spoke with the captured bodyguard.
"Did you witness him perform the Earth bending firsthand?" Kali inquired.
"Yes, Sir! The superhuman leap of more than twelve Feet was beyond the realm of possibility without Earth bending. Our leader collapsed with a single blow; no ordinary strength can render our leader, who alone equals five soldiers, unconscious with just one hit. Except for the former commander Kaan, there was no one else across the entire Jambudweep. It was for this earth shattering news that I escaped from there."
Remaining silent, Kali pondered something deeply. With a troubled expression fixed on the prison walls, the soldier inquired, "What lies ahead for me, sir?"
"You followed your master's commands; you merely fulfilled a soldier's duty. Your future will mirror that of any soldier," Kali replied before leaving the underground prison.
After exiting the prison, he made his way to the intelligence department. He had only traveled halfway when he noticed a messenger eagle flying low. He deduced that this eagle had been set free just moments before.
Reaching for a small knife concealed at his waist, he aimed at the soaring eagle when a subtle noise caught his attention. He abandoned the knife and swiftly drew his sword, parrying a blade that came from his right. Had Kali hesitated for even a second, that knife would have slit his throat. Grabbing his knife with his other hand, he began searching for the assailant. Suddenly, he spotted a shadow darting among the bushes.
Kali hurled the knife with all his strength, but the nimble silhouette evaded him. The thrown knife vanished into the underground, and the shadow disappeared from sight. Kali glanced up at the sky, seeing Eagle fly out of his reach towards the east. It seemed the attacker had similar intentions.
Kali conducted a careful search of the area but found nothing in the bushes apart from the knife he had thrown. Examining the knife of the attacker closely, he noticed the seal of Kundar engraved on it. Kali let out a cold breath.
Upon arriving at the intelligence department, he composed a message and placed it inside a small wooden and leather tube attached to Eagle's back. After feeding Eagle a small piece of meat, he sent the bird off to Arthala. While writing the message, he sensed that all of Jambudweep was on the verge of a significant shift.