The Inseparable Princes

82. The End of the Giant

Kumbhakarna cackled continuously as he walked on the roads of the Lankan markets, the people littering the roads with flowers and their petals, some people somehow mangaing to throw some garlands around his neck from a balcony or terrace of their respective houses. The people cheered and cheered on, as Ravana watched from his terrace, his brother carrying the mighty King of Apes on his shoulder, clueless about whether he was even alive or not.

Sugreeva, however, knew that he was alive. He blinked his eyes open, only to see people on the ground throwing flowers up in the air, hoping for them to defy gravity and somehow reach Kumbhakarna. And wait, how was Sugreeva in this dizzyingly high place? He discreetly turned around, trying hard to pretend like he was still unconscious, so that nobody would be alerted by his movement. What Sugreeva saw when he turned to his right was a large golden orb shaped earring. And it was dangling from, obviously, an ear. Kumbhakarna's ear. When Sugreeva turned even more to his right, he saw Kumbhakarna's scary face in close up; that was the last thing he had wanted.

But then he got an idea. What if he could do something to his advantage? He was in a position where he could see Kumbhakarna, but the latter had to put a little more effort to get a good view of the "tiny" monkey. Sugreeva knew what to do. And it took him just a little second to get up and stand on Kumbhakarna's shoulder quite comfortably. Kumbhakarna noticed the difference, and the crowds stop cheering. Ravana, from afar, frowned, his smile disappearing, as Kumbhakarna looked towards Sugreeva with the corner of his eye.

Sugreeva, however, was too quick for Kumbhakarna, and before the latter could even know, Sugreeva, teeth bared, had shredded Kumbhakarna's ear apart, as his humongous earring went down to the ground with a thud. Before the enraged Kumbhakarna could choke Sugreeva in his grip, catching hold of him, Sugreeva jumped over to the front, and stood on the top portion, or the neck protecter of the armour that he was wearing. And just like that, with his nails, once again, he tore Kumbhakarna's nose too, and the nails of his feet had dug into Kumbhakarna's neck, wherever the armour wasn't protecting him.

The giant was completely enraged. His large eyes, bloodshot, looked around everywhere to find the monkey, as Sugreeva jumped from the demon's armlet, to his waistband, and then to his armour, and continued to do so throughout. The world seemed like it had frozen, but Sugreeva kept leaping and jumping all over the place almost tauntingly, as he even laughed while doing so. Kumbhakarna could not take it. He was in the middle of his very own city, and this monkey was mocking him before everybody and was also looking ready to escape.

The demon let out a roar, beating his chest, as the crowds stepped back in fear. But Sugreeva did not have any fear now. He jumped up to Kumbhakarna's face, and was tantalizingly close to being crushed in Kumbhakarna's fist, but before any of that could happen, he had leapt back out of Lanka and had returned to Rama.

"Prabhu!" he cried, walking in and falling at Rama's feet, as a previously anxious Angada got up and rushed to Sugreeva. "Kumbhakarna is probably going to come back to attack us now." said Sugreeva rather sheepishly, as Rama shook his head and have the King a brief hug, patting him on the back.

"You manage to get into some serious trouble every time!" Angada grumbled, looking down, his brows furrowed.

"It's battle, Angad." replied Sugreeva calmly, wrapping an arm around his nephew. "It happens." Angada turned up to his uncle incredulously.

"We are all in the middle of a battle, Kaka. Why is it that none of us have ended up INSIDE Ravan's city, not once but twice?" he asked haughtily. His question was right after all. Sugreeva widened his eyes, chuckling.

"Were you scared or worried?" whispered Sugreeva in his nephew's ear, but Angada just freed himself and stomped away angrily, as Sugreeva was left smiling at him.