The nadaswaram and thavil players led the way playing the auspicious music. Bhavani carried a pot of burning coals on top of her head and held a golden staff in her right hand as she walked behind them. Aditya Varma and Mrithyunjay flanked her on either sides and the foot soldiers followed behind.

"I hope you are fine, Bhavani", said Mrithyunjay. "We are very near."

Bhavani inclined her eyes in his direction, "I am Bhavagaru."

He looked towards her bare feet. Beneath the glittering golden anklets, blood was oozing from the cracks on her feet. He gave her an accusatory glance.

Aditya Varma patted Mrithyunjay's back, "It's alright, Mrithyunjay. A good ointment and a night's sleep will heal everything, isn't it Bhavani?"

"Of course, uncle. The path has been unusually thorny. I stepped across several of them while walking", she replied. "It literally looked as though somebody had generously strewn them all across the path like flower petals."

Mrithyunjay's eyes raised up in concern, "That's very strange. The entire path was throughly cleaned and inspected. I saw for myself. Did somebody do it on purpose?"

"Why would somebody do this?" Aditya Varma asked. "What do they gain by delaying us?"

"Shall we discuss these matters in the evening?" A miffed Bhavani said. "The kids must have been playing a prank. That's all. We are already late. Everyone must be anxiously waiting for us."

After being scolded by Bhavani, they walked ahead silently for a while. Just the music from the nadaswaram and the drum beats resounded through the air. The nadaswaram players who were walking ahead stopped blowing into their instruments. Their fingers stopped moving. The percussionists stopped beating their thavil. One of them shouted, "The path ahead is blocked. There are huge tree trunks lying on either side of the path."

Mrithyunjay and Aditya Varma caught each other's eye. Their faces flushed red. They sprinted ahead as did the soldiers following behind them. They looked towards Bhavani who was approaching them and towards the blocked path.

Varma wiped his forehead as he exclaimed, "Oh my God!"

Mrithyunjay hurried up the soldiers, "Fast, fast. Clear the path. She is almost here."

The sinewy muscles of the soldiers strained against the trunks. They pushed and heaved at several of them. All the other trunks had been cleared. Two more trunks lay blocking the path. Bhavani had almost reached them

Mrithyunjay grunted, "Ah..."

He summoned all his latent strength and lifted the trunk lying on the right side and supported it against his back. Aditya Varma and the soldiers held the other tree trunk against their backs. There was enough space for Bhavani to walk through without stopping.

The tree trunks fell down with a thud. Mrithtunjay, Aditya Varma and the soldiers hastily recovered themselves and followed Bhavani. The nadaswaram and thavil music began once again.

Bhagiradhi came outside the temple premises. She said to Gajendra, "It's taking a very long while. They should have been here by now."

Gajendra agreed, "True. The crowds have become difficult to manage. They are becoming highly impatient."

He gestured to ask about his baby son, Avanindra Baahubali. Bhagiradhi said, "He's sleeping. I left him with my mother-in-law. Have you by any chance seen Shivaansh? I have been searching for him since a while."

"Don't worry, Akka. He was playing hide-and-seek with the other kids. I will go and bring him."

Gajendra inquired a group of soldiers who stood on guard duty, "Did you see Shivaansh?"

They shook their heads. He went ahead to the shops where the vendors were selling toys and asked them. They replied, "We haven't seen the young prince."

Gajendra went round the temple enclosure and checked to see if he was there. He shouted, "Shivaansh. Where are you?"

There was no answer. Gajendra ran his fingers through his hair and covered his face trying hard to think where Shivaansh could have hidden himself. His heart battered and pounded against the walls of his chest. His throat became parched and his voice was unsteady as he called out, "Come out, Shivaansh. You've won the game."

Gajendra pushed through the festive crowds as his eyes scanned for the young, curly-haired mischief-maker in their midst. He kicked and stomped the ground. He cursed himself for his lack of oversight. He should have kept Shivaansh along with him when he bumped into him earlier.

"Shivaansh...Shivaansh...Shivaansh", he yelled for his young nephew through the enormous din.

The auspicious music of the nadaswaram and the thavil approached nearer. The people hailed loudly as they showered flowers on top of her, "Rani Bhavani ki Jai!"

Bhavani walked up to the sacred crucible . She took the pot of burning coals on top of her head and poured them into the crucible lighting up the flames.

Bhagiradhi called Gajendra, "Come and propitiate the ritual that generations on our family have done for the peace and prosperity of Mahishmati. The people are waiting."

The priests chanted the Vedic hymns and the conches blew. The temple elephant trumpeted loudly. Gajendra Baahubali's feet were turned in the other direction. Everyone looked at him curiously.

Gajendra Baahubali shook his head and told himself, "The minute this ritual is over, I am coming and getting you, little brat."

The elephant bent down on his knees and wagged his huge billowing ears. Gajendra rubbed its trunk gently as he ascended placing his foot on top of the elephant. Bhagiradhi dipped the huge ginormous arrow in the half-cooled fire of the crucible and gave it to him. Gajendra stretched the twain of the huge bow towards himself to release the flaming arrow towards the Demon of Drought.

A shrill cry rang out piercing through the silence, "Mama, I'm up here."

Gajendra stared ahead in stunned disbelief at the effigy of the Demon of Drought, "Shivaansh?"

Shivaansh swung his arms outward calling out to Gajendra. A tall and dark figure came stood beside him. Subahu's rough and bruising fingers closed over the little boy's mouth, "Come, little boy. You have spoken enough."

Everyone gasped, "Subahu."

Subahu picked up the young boy in his arms as he bit and fought him, "Quite a handful you are, aren't you?"

Gajendra held up his hands as he pleaded, "Please leave him. He is innocent."

Bhagiradhi's body shivered and her feet gave way as she pointed towards the effigy where both Shivaansh and Subahu stood, "My son with that demon..."

Bhagiradhi fainted as Bhavani caught hold of her. She propped her up in her arms. She shook Bhagiradhi but in vain. Aditya Varma sprang beside Bhavani to aid her in supporting Bhagiradhi.

Subahu shoved the young lad to a corner. He stood tall on two black metal stumps as he roared, "Mahishmati, I have come back. At last."

Mrithyunjay darted towards the effigy with no second thought, "Shivaansh..."

Gajendra yelled behind Mrithyunjay, "Bhava, your life..."

But Mrithyunjay did not pay heed to his warning. He was out of his earshot.

Several dark forms ripped through the hay-stuffed interiors of the effigy. They jumped down and launched into the crowd. Chaos broke out at several points in the crowd.

Several of Subahu's soldiers had mingled with the common people. They tore their disguises and started attacking everyone in sight.

Women screamed in terror and the children started crying. A massive stampede ensued.

"A surprise attack", Aditya Varma exclaimed. Gajendra nodded his head.

Gajendra Baahubali swung into action as he shouted orders to the soldiers, "Evacuate the common people from here. Prathighat!"

Gajendra turned towards Aditya Varma who was standing beside him. He caught hold of his hand and requested him, "Uncle please take away my family from here. I will deal with this."

With one retreating glimpse at his sister and his wife, Gajendra Baahubali turned to face his arch nemesis, "Why? What do you hope to gain by destroying everything?"

"Happiness. Isn't that evident? Throughout my life I have searched for my place and purpose. I sought love and received hatred. If I can't receive love, I will receive hatred instead. But I will be recognized."

Gajendra shook his head in disbelief, "You're mad."

Subahu swung his arm and hurled a huge iron mace in Gajendra's direction. He jumped aside at the last moment. The mace grazed Gajendra's forehead as it landed on the ground. He caught hold of his bleeding brow and rolled in the mud. He raised himself up kissing the soil of his motherland.

Anger and fury radiated off Gajendra Baahubali in waves. His veins throbbed and his eyes became red hot. His heart battered and rammed against his chest. His fists clenched and his burgeoning shoulder muscles burst through his dress ripping it apart under the sheer strain.

Gajendra Baahubali ran through the enemy ranks like an all-consuming fire in a forest full of dried leaves and twigs. He plundered and ripped them apart with his single blow. He moved like lightening striking terror wherever he went. He appeared like the God of Death, Mahakaal himself.

He marshaled his soldiers. He pointed towards the temple walls, "Ascend those walls. Shoot them down."

The soldiers of Mahishmati rained arrows on Subahu's soldiers Subahu's anger knew no bounds. His soldiers were depleting in strength. The Mahishmati army was gaining the upper hand.

A wicked thought ran through his evil brain. He picked up young Shivaansh whom he had flung into a corner and threatened to drop him from that height. Shivaansh flailed and kicked wildly. Everyone instinctively closed their eyes preparing for the huge thud and impact that never came.

Cries of relief broke out amidst the soldiers, "Thank God!"

Mrithyunjay sneaked up from behind and tripped Subahu. He swung on a rope holding Shivaansh in his arms. They landed safely on the ground beside Gajendra Baahubali.

Mrithyunjay scooped up Shivaansh in his arms. He sobbed as Shivaansh wiped his eyes, "I am fine, father. I am in your arms."

Subahu raged stomping his metal feet hard atop the Demon of Drought. He fired an arrow towards Shivaansh and Mrithyunjay. Gajendra Baahubali shielded both of them and pushed them aside.

Gajendra Baahubali yelled to the temple elephant who stood in readiness for him. He ascended the elephant and picked up the huge bow and the ginormous flaming arrow. He strung the bow and dispatched the arrow towards the Demon of Drought.

The Demon of Drought broke out into flames. The effigy splintered, cracked and fell down. A haze of smoke and flames enveloped the entire place. Hot ashes sprinkled from above. Gajendra ran and madly scavenged through the remains of the burning effigy for the father he loved.

He clung on to Subahu's hand as Shivaansh and Mrithyunjay shouted from behind, "Come back."

Most of Subahu's flesh had burnt in the fire. He opened his eyes one last time and looked at his crying son. He pushed Gajendra back as he disintegrated into flames, "I have found my place at last, son. Go back."

Gajendra Baahubali fell back as the flames shot up. His back touched the ground as his heart and soul convulsed and poured out into a dirge of sorrow. Shivaansh and Mrithyunjay hovered over Gajendra's dazed eyes shaking him.