A huge cloud of dust rose up. Loud cries, yells, cheers and claps emanated from a huge battle arena. When the dust settled down, two young teenagers swam into view. They held steel blades in their hands. They struggled and strained against each other. Beads of sweat perforated their brows.

"Go, Shivaansh, go", yelled a bunch of noisy and boisterous youngsters.

"Avanindra, Avanindra, Avanindra! Show him who you are", shouted a second group trying to out yell the first group in a yelling competition.

Shivaansh stopped Avanindra's thrust midway and parried it aside, "Not so fast younger brother. I am older at this game than you are."

Unfazed, Avanindra came back from the opposite side almost breaking through Shivaansh's defenses double quick, "It doesn't matter how old you are at a game. What matters is who wins it."

They sparred, cut, thrust, parried and evaded with the finesse of peerless swordsmen. Shivaansh breathed hard as he pressed against Avanindra with his superior weight, "I was the first in Gajendra Mama's life. I was his favorite. You came next. He will give The Chest of the Ancient Masters to me. It will be my legacy."

Avanindra slithered effortlessly out of his grasp, "You may have been the first in his affections but I will be his last. He may be your uncle but he is my father. It is my legacy and mine alone."

Avanindra's careless comment hit Shivaansh at a spot deeper within his skin. His deepest insecurities were encrusted within those simple words.

Shivaansh ran his fingers through his knotted black hair. Avanindra carelessly shook his brown silky hair that fell in waves around his neck. His green, glistening eyes steadily met his elder brother's coal-black eyes without batting them even once.

A few members among the audience called out,"Both of them are getting vicious. Separate them for God's sake before it is too late."

Both the contestants were bleeding by now. But neither of the two seemed bothered by it. They were determined to take their fight to its logical conclusion. A sudden hush descended upon the entire arena.

Both Shivaansh and Avanindra turned their heads towards the entrance. Their eyes fell upon the towering figure of Gajendra Baahubali glowering at them. Their swords hit the ground with a clang.

Both the teenagers plodded behind him aimlessly kicking the pebbles and stones in their path. Their eyes momentarily met each other before they averted them in the other direction.

They sat with their back to each other as Gajendra wiped their wounds and applied the herbal ointment. He shook his head and sat down beside both of them. His back was sandwiched between the backs of both the teenagers.

He said, "I am ashamed to call both of you my students. You let petty rivalry overtake you. You forgot that both of you are brothers in the first place."

They scoffed at each other. Shivaansh gathered his courage. His voice faltered as he asked, "Mama, whom do you love the most? Me or him? Everyone says it's him."

Avanindra made a wry face. He retorted, "Of course. That is why he spends so much of his time with you and not with me."

A sad smile appeared on Gajendra Baahubali's face, "I could cut off and give a part of my heart to both of you. But I would not remain after that. Is that what both of you want?"

They instinctively drew their hands to cover Gajendra's mouth before he could complete his words. Hot tears stung on both of their cheeks. Gajendra forced both of them to face each other and make up, "Come on. Shake hands with each other."

Their hands rose up a bit slowly. They pressed each other's hands tighter than necessary.

"Good", said Gajendra as he observed both the two youngsters from the background.

They withdrew with a jerk. Gajendra asked more out of curiosity, "What was the duel about?"

"We were trying to settle to whom you would leave your magical chest?" Avanindra quipped.

Gajendra playfully slapped his young son's back, "Looking at both of you now, I am thinking that it would be a good idea not to leave the chest to either of you. I should perhaps choose a third person to leave that legacy to."

"Mama, I am serious. It will be one of us, won't it?" Shivaansh quizzed.

Gajendra revealed, "I have never seen The Chest of the Ancient Masters as a personal property. It was a legacy and blessing given to me by my preceptor to serve my people. I have never used it for my personal benefit and never will. I will pass it on to somebody who will never use it for personal aggrandizement. That is not both of you at the moment. I see two pig-headed teenagers who are so blinded in their rivalry for each other."

Gajendra twisted the ears of both the youngsters as they cried out in mock pain, "Ah...Mama. Stop pulling my ears. I am a grown up."

"See who's talking", Avanindra said in an aside to Shivaansh. He broke away from Gajendra's grasp and started running. Shivaansh chased behind him. Avanindra wagged a finger at Shivaansh, "You can't catch me, big brother."

Shivaansh said panting for breath, "Let's see, little brother."

He sprinted across the green turf. His hands extended and stretched to catch hold of Avanindra who was just one step ahead of him.

Gajendra's face broke into a soft and poignant smile. With the wisdom and experience that comes with age and life, he mused to himself, "It never ends, does it?"