The man led Mrithyunjay deeper and deeper to the north. Mrithyunjay's horse leapt very often on its hind feet and turned to the side as though it didn't want to proceed further. He kept patting it down. Mrithyunjay's ears suddenly pricked up. He stopped, "Are you sure this is the way?"

The man stammered. He wiped the sweat that had been pouring profusely from his forehead. He tried to convince Mrithyunjay, "They have kept them just five hundred feet ahead."

"Where? In the gorge?" Mrithyunjay asked.

The man realized that Mrithyunjay had caught his ruse. He attacked Mrithyunjay with the knife tucked in his belt. Mrithyunjay who had been expecting this action instantly disarmed him with his sword. The man took to his heels.

Mrithyunjay shook his head and berated himself. He had been carried away by his emotions to believe this far-fetched story. General Marakasura had decoyed him to this place to secretly kill him. His men must have been waiting up for him somewhere ahead.

Mrithyunjay spurred his steed back to the battlefield. Marakasura's soldiers emerged from their hiding spot. They pursued Mrithyunjay. Two of the horsemen succeeded in closing the gap between them and Mrithyunjay. They rode on either side of Mrithyunjay and jabbed at him with their swords.

Mrithyunjay ducked to evade their swords. Their swords grazed his hair. They missed him just by a whisker. He righted himself back while continuing to urge his horse to run faster. He held the reins of his horse with his teeth while fighting both men off with two swords in either hand.

Mrithyunjay gave a quick shove and pushed off the assailant to his right from his horse. He cooly took back the reins of his horse from his teeth into his right hand while simultaneously fighting off the soldier to his left. The fighting had slowed down the speed of the soldier. Mrithyunjay flicked his wrist behind in a fatal thrust into the man's chest before retrieving his sword.

Mrithyunjay turned behind to look at the position of his other pursuers. They were all comparatively nearer to him. He blew his horn in quick succession four times. This would tell his companions that he needed help and also alert them about his current location. After this, Mrithyunjay turned back and hurled his lance at his nearest pursuer. The man collapsed with a loud yell.

At the East Camp, Bhagiradhi regained consciousness. She immediately picked up her weapons and ran to her horse. Shodasi Devi shouted, "Wait, child. Let me and our soldiers go for him."

But Bhagiradhi was out of earshot. Realizing the futility of arguing, Shodasi Devi followed behind her. Bhagiradhi was riding like a whirlwind. She had no thought except Mrithyunjay.  She would not rest until she was assured about his safety.

Clouds of dust rose up as the hard hooves of Bhagiradhi's horse stuck against the ground. She heard Mrithyunjay's horn in the vicinity. He was near her. She would reach him in a couple of minutes. She heaved a sigh of relief.

In the battlefield, Bhavani and Aditya Varma too heard the horn. "That is Mrithyunjay's signal for help. I will go with some of our soldiers to his aid. Please take care of things here in the meanwhile, Uncle", said Bhavani. She left the battlefield along with a few soldiers in the direction from which she had heard Mrithyunjay's horn seeking assistance.

Mrithyunjay stopped a moment to steady himself. He had given the signal and help would arrive shortly from the battlefield. He just had to defend himself till then. He took a quick aim and shot down three more of his pursuers with his arrows. He turned back and started riding. He blew his horn again in the same manner as he had done previously. The soldiers had almost caught up with him.

One of them aimed his arrow at his horse's eye. The poor creature flailed and neighed before it collapsed bringing down its master. Mrithyunjay rolled off its back before standing up on his feet lightening quick. The horse ran off from there in apparent fright.

Four soldiers, armed to the teeth and seated on horses closed in upon Mrithyunjay. Mrithyunjay leapt up into the air and kicked one of the soldiers surrounding him from his horse. He took charge of the soldier's horse and continued fighting the other three horsemen.

Narasimha and General Samarth who had come searching for Mrithyunjay saw his frightened steed take to its heels. There was no rider on top of the horse. They urged their horses even faster.

The soldier who had been unseated from his horse by Mrithyunjay got up. He crept up from behind looking for the right opportunity to stab Mrithyunjay. Three darts hit his back in quick succession. He dropped down like a log. Bhagiradhi's figure came into view.

Mrithyunjay fatally wounded one of the soldiers he was fighting while the other two were felled by distant arrows. He looked ahead. Bhavani and her archers had shot those arrows. Mrithyunjay helped Bhagiradhi down her horse. She embraced him, "I am fine, Princess. There is nothing wrong with me."

He continued to comfort her. Bhavani and the soldiers came up and stood around them. Shodasi Devi also caught up with Bhagiradhi. She told Mrithyunjay, "She wouldn't remain behind. The midwife came a short while ago. She confirmed the happy news. Both of you are going to become parents."

Mrithyunjay lifted Bhagiradhi up in his arms. He twirled her round and round forgetting that there were many people around them  The expression of happiness suffused across his entire face. Shodasi Devi gently chided him, "Not now, young man. The baby."

Mrithyunjay placed Bhagiradhi down softly like a feather. He felt rather foolish for giving way to his expression of joy. Bhavani congratulated Bhagiradhi and Mrithyunjay. They were all so happy that none of them had noticed General Marakasura taking aim at Bhagiradhi from a distance. Mrithyunjay heard the arrow whizzing past. He reacted upon instinct pushing his wife aside. The arrow pierced into Mrithyunjay's chest.

Marakasura took aim the second time. But before he could shoot again, General Samarth cut him down with his sword. Everyone rushed towards Mrithyunjay. He was loosing a lot of blood. His eyes were closing. Bhagiradhi slapped him hard again and again to prevent him from losing consciousness. Shodasi Devi shouted, "Take him back to the camp."

The soldiers hoisted Mrithyunjay up on their arms. Bhagiradhi followed them with a tear-stained face. Shodasi Devi was trying to comfort her. General Samarth barked hasty orders to the soldiers carrying Mrithyunjay leaving just Bhavani and Narasimha face to face.

Narasimha touched Bhavani's shoulder to comfort her. Her face simmered with anger, "Are you satisfied now?"

Narasimha staggered back. He said, "Those were not my orders."

Bhavani took back a step, "I see everything for what it really is."

Narasimha gathered her in his arms, "I am still the same. You are the same. Yesterday was just a momentary lapse in control."

She pushed him away from her, "I am talking about today. I know you don't wish to see it. But I will show you. You gave your sister the worst possible gift a brother can give on a day she learnt that she was going to be a mother. Do you think she will ever forgive you for this?"

"Bhavani, don't leave me", the words poured out of Narasimha's tormented soul.

"You made the choice, Narasimha. In making this choice, you disowned everyone who could have been yours", Bhavani said.

She held him in her hands and kissed his forehead, "I love you. I have always loved you. And this is the first and last time I am telling you this. God bless you!"

Bhavani walked away from there leaving Narasimha really and truly alone. He sighed. General Marakasura stirred momentarily. Narasimha asked him, "Why did you do this, General?

The dying man said, "You wanted to win, Prince."

"I did, but not at this cost. We have won but I lost myself", Narasimha confessed.

The blank and empty eyes of Marakasura stared at him. Narasimha gently closed the General's eyes and trudged on. For the first time in his life, he felt completely aimless and rudderless. He had lost all his bearings. He felt disillusioned with everything around him.

End of Book Ten: Everything Falls Apart