Kurukshetra: The defining Krishna-Arjun journey

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟘: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕞𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕕𝕦𝕖𝕝

Krishna's pov

The sixteenth day of the battle belonged to the Kauravas' newly appointed commander, the King of Anga. 

He killed half the surviving Pandava forces singlehandedly. There was one terrifying moment when Karna, after having accepted Nakul's challenge with derision, disarmed him and had him at arrowpoint--

Only to deride him a bit more--"Avoid picking fights with your elders and superiors, Nakul"--and walk away without the kill.

"What on earth was that?" Sahadev asked Arjun, both white-faced.

Krishna thought he knew.

There was no time to dwell upon it, for Arjun urged him to take their chariot to Karna who was now taking on Satyaki with terrible fierceness.

The end of that day's battle was a relief. 

In the evening, news came that Shalya had been made Karna's charioteer. 

"Charioteer?" said Nakul, outraged. "How dare that suta demand our uncle for his charioteer?"

"Never you worry," Arjun remarked airily. "He still cannot match my charioteer."

His grin made Krishna feel an unexpected burst of relieved happiness.

Lately, what with the war rearing on its head, it had seemed to him that Arjun was always either very upset or very furious while talking to him, which in turn had unknowingly begun to scare him that he had lost their easy friendship for good.

Not against any victory or establishment of dharma would Krishna feel it worth to have that camaraderie changed.

***

Karna made it clear on Day 17 that he had ridden into battle with the purpose of slaying Arjun. All he cared was getting to Arjun; he was even said to have offered Pandava footsoldiers the greatest of wealth if they showed him to Arjun.

When Karna finally made his way close, Arjun was engaged in a duel with Aswatthama. Karna attacked Yudhishthir; Bheem tried to rush to his aid, but not before the King of Anga had pierced him all over, forcing him to flee. Arjun, torn between Aswatthama's fierce assault and Yudhishthir's bleeding body, could only spare the latter a single, despairing glance.

"Running away from the battlefield, Samrat?" Karna called mockingly. "And yet you call yourself a Ksatriya?"

But Karna did not attempt to stop Yudhishthir on his way. Bheem took their jyesht's place and started to fight with Karna. By the time Arjun had got Aswatthama to finally retreat, Karna was advancing upon an injured Drishtadyumna, compelling Krishna and Arjun's chariot to fly in to help him.

That day, Karna was everywhere, everywhere they looked, defeating ordinary soldiers and atirathis alike, wreaking immense damage superseding yesterday's.

"Go on, Parth," Krishna said. "Go and challenge him--no one but you can check him in battle."

"I have to go and check on jyesht," said Arjun frantically. "He was horribly injured--take us back to the camp quickly, Madhav, I cannot fight further without knowing if he is fine."

Krishna debated between scolding and conceding, and chose the latter.

When they neared the medical tent, they found that the arrows had been eased out of Yudhishthir's body, which was covered with red-tinged bandages. Arjun's gasp of relief was audible.

Yudhishthir caught sight of the two of them and the widest smile appeared on his face. "Well done, Arjun. Never did I doubt you would succeed in slaying the King of Anga."