It was pretty evident by the faces of the soldiers and the warriors gathered that morning, that their morale was at an all time low. Not only had the Grandsire of the Kurus eliminated a massive portion of their armies yesterday, their best warrior was absent from the melee. 

Everyone was jittery at best and outright despondent at worst. 

"Are you sure, Arjun won't be able to join us today?", Virat, the Matsya King almost whined. 

Yudhishtir, who was renowned for his saint like patience could feel it an inch close to snapping. His younger brother had still not gained consciousness and lay almost comatose while his allies were more concerned about the temporary losses which they will, no doubt have to face, yet again today. 

In his mind, the Eldest Kaunteya knew that it was not fair to the soldiers to be thinking of them so callously, but a brother's heart refused to settle at all. He could hardly think straight as his Phalgun remained unresponsive to even the doctors' treatments. 

And to top all that, Vasudev Krishna had left a massive glaring void in their ranks. 

It was like that they had already surrendered. 

"No Maharaja. He is.. still indisposed. But don't worry. We will manage. Encourage your men right now. They need it", the eldest Pandava retorted calmly. 

"It is not only the soldiers who need encouragement, Kuntiputra", Virat muttered disappointed but walked away towards his appointed regiment with dragging steps. 

Satyaki and Drishtadyumna had taken key positions in their battle formation today. The plan was that they will try to hide the fact that the only man who could terrorize the other side as much as Bheeshma had them, was not present. 

At this point, defence seemed like the best offence. 

"Jyeshta, today you are going to remain at the furthest end, behind all of us. Drish will make sure you are within eyesight throughout", Bhim said urgently, storming towards his older brother, his haggard face rigid with lingering tension. 

Yudhishtir wanted to protest even if he knew it was in their best interest. 

Without Arjun, the Kauravas would jump at the chance to capture him alive. They couldn't risk that happening or else the war will get over before it had even progressed properly. 

Suddenly a commotion made both the brothers whip towards the direction of the increasing muttering noises which were coming from the back. As the sea of soldiers parted, their long drawn out faces brightening up as fast as the sky gets after a heavy downpour. 

The Pandava duo looked gobsmacked as from between their men, stalked Savyasachi, in his full glory. 

No one, who had seen Arjun drop like a stringless puppet yesterday evening, would be able to discern anything wrong with him. He looked completely normal. But for those who knew him well enough, like his two older brothers, they could see the warm dusky colour of his skin harbouring a pasty ashen shade. 

His hawk like gaze was sharp like the pointed end of Yudhishtir's silver spear. So hard that it looked alien on those sharp features. The cut on his forehead was neatly sewn leaving no evidence of the blood which had painted him red only a few hours ago. 

He was fully armoured and held the Gandhiva in one glove covered hand. His knuckles white against the ivory of his famous divine bow. 

But the expression on his face or lack thereof was the one thing which made both Yudhishtir and Bhim flinch instantly. There was no trace of that characteristic softness in that well loved face. No hint of anything which made their sibling into who he actually was, visible on any inch of his body or countenance.

It was like he was made of plastic.

There was a strange static present in the air around Vijaya, as he came and stood near them. 

"What is the formation?", he asked sharply. 

Arjun's voice was scarily empty. Strong and velveteen deep as usual but held no hint of his characteristic warmth in any way. 

"Arjun! Brother.. you.. but you were.. how are you? Why did you come in.. you need more rest! What even happened to you yesterday?", Bhim completed all of their questions in one long breath, his hands hovering hesitantly in the space between them. 

Much to the second Kaunteya's shock Arjun didn't even turn his eyes towards him while speaking and then to a sharp pang of hurt, moved away from his approaching touch like it would burn him. 

"I am fine. Nothing happened. I was tired. Sorry for the inconvenience. Now, what is the formation?"

"Phalgun, for God's sake you passed out and.... and almost died because you weren't breathing. We were all so...", Yudhishtir began only for another shocking thing to take place the next second. 

His mild mannered soft spoken brother who had never had the audacity to speak in between any of his older brothers' words cut across him rather rudely. 

"We don't have time for this nonsense Jyeshta. Please tell me what formation we are planning. The war will begin in an hour at most."

Bhim and Yudhishtir gaped at him completely taken aback. Arjun, then in a completely uncharacteristic move, rolled his eyes and turned towards an equally shocked Drishtadyumna who was walking towards them along with Abhimanyu in a rapid pace. 

Arjun's youngest breathed a sigh of relief. He felt like the mountain which had been sitting on his chest since yesterday evening has dropped instantly on seeing his father's tall figure standing with his uncles at the distance. He still hadn't caught the expression on his face. 

Abhi was just trying to maintain some level of decency and not fling himself onto Arjun's chest in relief and happiness. 

"Trishula vyuhah, Arjun. But..", Draupadi's twin began but got cut across impatietly. 

"Change it. Make a Suchi vyuha at the front connected to the Ardha-Chandra vyuha at the back. I want the elephant corps at the first row of the second formation, followed by the infantry and the cavalry respectively."

Drishtadyumna looked positively disoriented at the speed with which Arjun was shooting instructions while simultaneously gesticulating un-verbally to the men in sharp dexterous movements to change the formation as per his orders.

"Father... that is, such a complicated formation. I mean, what are we going to do..", Abhi managed to verbalize his uncles' jumbled questions as well. 

Arjun turned his impatient eyes on his youngest, a mild annoyance fleetingly passed through his stoic expression. The dark skinned man cupped his scarred hands around his mouth and blew a single piercing whistle. 

Arjun had clearly elected to ignore the stammering, Abhimanyu and Drishtadyumna had attempted a few seconds prior. 

Abhi felt his stomach turn at that flash of disappointment in his father's eyes which had expressed itself involuntarily for that one minuscule moment. 

Disappointment at him, no doubt. 

Why can't he keep his mouth shut?

A magnificent white steed burst through the swarm of their armies, making the warriors in his path stumble a little at the mere thundering of his hooves. The morning sun gleamed off his spotless coat and the animal came to a fluid stop in front of Shwetvahana, his impressive muscles moving overtly on his back. 

Arjun's electric eyes softened a little as the stallion bent down to nuzzle his raven curls almost affectionately. 

"Vikram, looks like it is going to be only me and you, from now on, my dear", Vijaya whispered, rubbing his horse's forehead gently. 

Yudhishtir and Bhim had to smile at that. Their younger one may have hardened himself overtly for everyone's sake but Phalgun for the life of him, cannot completely turn himself into stone. 

It was like the man was chemically incapable of complete cruelty. 

"A horse? What about your chariot, sir?", one of their commanders asked a little disconcerted. A warrior of Arjun's status would not ride a single stallion into battle. A chariot was a safer and a better option, all things considered. 

Abhimanyu grimaced as his father's features which had loosened a little, hardened immediately at the man's unthinking words. His eyes flashed steel grey and everyone assembled could taste the static increase sharp and bitter in the air. 

It burnt through their tongues with vengeance. 

"I don't need a chariot to win the war. Is the formation done?", his voice was emotionless. 

Not fury or even a smidge of annoyance was visible in his words. The man paled instantly and moved away, nodding his assent and bowing low enough to touch the ground with his head. 

"Arjun, I.. we are sorry. I don't know why Vasudev did...", Bhim had begun sorrowfully as they advanced their chariots. 

"Madhav does what is right Bhrata Bhim. Do not insult all of us by questioning his motives. If he has dis--", Arjun swallowed once, his voice breaking off abruptly, unable to even voice those dratted words. He closed his eyes tight for a minute before they flashed open again. 

The agony which had seeped through those silver prussian irises for a single treacherous second had vanished like it was never even present. 

Abhimanyu had to look away at that, unable to see that broken look on his father's face anymore. The memories of last night, Arjun's comatose body, his dusky skin turned blue, Draupadi's tears staining his satiny curls, Subhadra sobbing, curled over him like a kicked creature, was making a kaleidoscope of pain hitting the teen's head like a vengeful headache. 

Arjun continued, tonelessly.

"I will not let our soldiers suffer for my mistakes. My weakness will not stand like an obstruction in the path for delivering justice."

It seemed like the very air had stopped with Arjun's words as his audience stared at him with rapt attention and a mix of awe and disbelief. The sounds of the first bells signifying the Kauravas gathering at the opposite end broke the palpable silence which had descended on their side. 

Arjun looked at the horizon, a little startled, as if having come out of a trance himself. Then his eyes narrowed, focussing intently on the General of the enemy side. 

Mahamahim Bheeshma was standing like an ancient machine of death and destruction, poised to descend on their armies like a maddened war pachyderm like he has been since the past two days. 

His wizened brown eyes caught his favourite grandson's from afar and Arjun let a breath lose. 

"Iravan! Satyaki! Shikandi!"

Savyasachi's sudden below shocked everyone who were standing at the frontlines, right out of their skins. The three men called upon by him, were beside the supreme archer within a minute, almost as if having been called on cue. 

"Father?", the youngest of the trio appeared right at Arjun's elbow from the side. 

Iravan, the Prince of the Nagas and Arjun's first born stood tall and his built, lean like his father. His eyes were a shocking mix of jade and turquoise which swirled like crystalline emeralds when the sun hit them just so. 

His pale complexion, a gift from his mother, burnt a mystical gold in the sunlight, intimidating the enemy forces in addition to his ferocious fighting skills. There were marks of silvery scales almost invisible to naked eye, splattered over his shoulders and sides. His hair fell in unruly raven curls over his chiselled face making him look almost like a splitting image of his father, irrespective of his own Naga origin. 

"Iravan. Shikhandi. Listen to me very carefully. I want both of you to form a pair today. In no way are you two to separate for even a second", Arjun shot at them, uncharacteristically unbothered with having to converse directly to his oldest child for the first time since he had laid eyes on the latter. 

There had always been a hesitancy in his words priorly, when giving instructions to Iravan. Uloopi's son had always been an enigma to the third Pandava. He had received no information regarding his upbringing, neither had he bothered to contact him or his mother in any way.

As a result it had been quite a massive surprise when he had found himself face to face with the soft spoken Naga Prince at the wake of the Great war, ready to join forces with his absent father to fight an enemy, he had no obligation to. 

Today though, it was like Arjun was ordering Abhimanyu or Shrutakarman and not the elusive Kauravinandan. 

"But what are we supposed to do Prince?", Shikhandi asked perturbed at the rather strange order. 

"You will wait for my sign. And when you get it, I want both of you to attack Pitamaha."

"What! Together? Both of us? Wouldn't that be against the rules?"

"Yes it will. Iravan is a master illusionist. He will be able to confound our Grandsire. Make him see Devi Amba in our brother in law every time he shoots at you. It will be the perfect diversion."

"What are you even saying? Perfect diversion for what Arjun?", Drishtadyumna asked behoved. 

Arjun's eyes flashed once, sorrow forming within a split second in those cold as ice grey orbs before it hid beneath the storm clouds yet again. 

"The perfect diversion for me to strike."

"Phalgun... you.. you are going to...", Yudhishtir began tremulously as the rest of the men looked aghast at their commander, utterly taken aback at both the sheer ingenuity and the cruelty of his strategy. 

It seemed like someone else was speaking from Savyasachi's body that moment. 

"Defeat Pitamaha. Once and for all. Yes", Arjun completed for his oldest brother. 

"But brother, it will be adharma. We cannot just...", the King started only to get cut off again. 

"We have an obligation towards our men and our allies, Jyeshta. We cannot let the Kuru Grandsire go on a killing spree every time we sit with our thumbs up our arses like a couple of eunuchs."

Arjun spat at his brother crassly, annoyance reigning heavy on his handsome features. The knuckles holding his Gandhiva had tightened considerably and Abhi thought the mighty unbreakable bow may end up finally snapping in his father's grasp. 

"The bow is going to break Abhi, if you keep it always stretched."

For some reason, Draupadi's words came back to Rochananandan for that moment. His Jyeshta Mata's wisdom has always been underrated. But at the same time, astounding as well. 

"I know that! But isn't there any other way we can defeat him? Without deceit?"

"Yes of course there is. I can unleash the Pashupatastra on them and decimate every single person on the Kaurava side along with Pitamaha. The very earth of Kurukshetra will get poisoned for the next three generations of Kshatriyas. And I cannot guarantee if the nuclear radiation will not effect our men at the same time."

Shivers ran down everyone's spines at Arjun's icy words. They had all forgotten the sheer power Dhananjaya possessed in his arsenal. If only he was forced to use it, he can very well destroy the Earth. 

"Tell me brother dear. Should we take that alternative?", Arjun asked, sarcasm dripping from his lips like venom. 

Yudhishtir remained quiet, shocked into silence at his younger brother's atypical impoliteness even if he spoke the brash and bitter truth. 

"Arjun... this.. if we do this then.. then they will curse you. The generations to come will smear your name through filth. You have struggled throughout your life my dear. You have performed intense penance for years, exercised unparalleled principles, have practised almost inhumanly to earn your fame. You are Vibhatsu brother... all your glory will be for naught."

Bhim uttered miserably then, mustering courage to break the suffocating silence at last. His words had voiced all of Abhi's un-worded concerns as well. The sixteen year old knew his oldest brother was having similar thoughts by the way Iravan's eyebrows had twisted into a perfect replica of their father's concerned expression unknowingly. 

Arjun sighed low and signalled to the men to take the final positions. He murmured illegible instructions to Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna for a minute after. 

Then he turned towards his older brothers and smiled so sadly that it stung. 

"Fie on them who fight for glory. My fight is for establishing dharma. And for that if I have to besmirch my so called spotless countenance then.....so be it."

The final conch shells blew in tandem from the enemy side, almost overpowering Arjun's last sentence but for some reason, it rang hollow and loud in all their ears regardless. 

"Mahamahim Bheeshma is going to fall today. By hook or by crook."

To be continued