🔶🔹Ŧħōʂɛ Ðāÿʂ ļŋ Ęxîɭɛ🔹🔶

~*~The Giant Serpent~*~

Thank you my readers for your love and support. Here, I present the next chapter for you.....

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While leaving Gandhamadana mountains, I felt a strange hollowness in my heart. It was the same feeling I had when I left for Indraprastha, after the partition of our kingdom. But before leaving the mountains, I silently prayed to Shailendra, the king of mountains, to bless us with good fortune. I also promised to return there during my sanyas ashrama[1].

On the way back way to Kamyaka, we again came across Kulindraj, our friend King Subahu's kingdom. Few of the snataka brahmans, and their families, whom we had left under the patronage of the noble king, were extremely delighted to reunite with us after a long time. We stayed in a temporary shelter for a night at the outskirts of the kingdom and the succeeding morning, we continued our journey. Those brahman families too came with us.

After travelling for around 2 months, we reached Daityavana[2]. Except the fact that the forest was abode of various giants and demons, the beauty of the forest was just breathtaking. With everyone's consent we decided to stay for few years at the captivating forest of demons.

Life was going on quite smoothly. Food was abundant as the forests had abundant animals for hunting and trees were full of sweet and juicy fruits. Perhaps, stories of Bheem killing Kirmira and Jatasura had already reached to the inhabitants of Daityvana, for our stay at the such an unsafe rumored forest was quite peaceful. Still, our accompanying brahmans and their families were advised to not venture into the deep forests in our absence.

We stayed around 3 years at the Daityavana quite peacefully, while nothing noticeable took place except that one incident. I don't know if I should call that incident a fortunate one or an unfortunate one. But that incident made a dent in my mind and soul. Well, there were two reasons for that, first, that incident helped to mend my relationship with Bheem and second, I could become a reason of salvation of one of my renowned ancestor.

Bheem'sPOV:

'FEAR', I never knew the meaning of this word. Born and brought up in the wilderness, grew up among the conspiracies of my poisonous cousins, escaped death more than thrice, got robbed of our own kingdom in a deceitful game of dice and then living a life of hermit in these dangerous forests. On top of that, at the beginning of our exile, I annihilated two infamous demons, Kirmira and Jatasura. These incidents had, no doubt, increased my pride on my strength. I had started considering myself as invincible.

Like other days, that day I went out for hunting, carrying my celestial bow Vayavya. It's true that mace was my favourite weapon, but for hunting, I preferred bows and arrows. I don't know why, that day I was on a killing spree. Even though I had hunted enough animals for our meals, but my heart told me to venture further into the deep forest.

After entering into the deep forest, the greenery and the earthy fragrance filled my heart with eternal peace. Suddenly I started feeling tired and my eyes began to feel sleepy. I checked the time by looking at the position of the sun on the sky, and realized that I had enough time to return home with the hunt. Hence, I decided to rest for while on the lap of mother nature. But who knew that my decision was going to be a deadly decision.

I was sleeping near the roots of large cedar tree, when I felt as if someone was keeping a close watch on me. The atmosphere became silent in a few moments and a hissing sound was heard. I became alert, I got up from my place and started looking here and there. The hissing sound was becoming louder and louder and the sound of large creature crawling the dry leaves covered floor of the forest. At one moment, I felt as if the hissing sound was coming from the front and the next moment I felt as if I heard the crawling sound behind my back. What kind of creature was that who was so elusive. Before I could understand a giant serpent leaped at me. The moment its body touched my flesh, within moments, I saw myself going limp. I was not horrified but felt myself extremely helpless. The serpent coiled itself around my main frame and I couldn't do anything to protect myself, within moments pitch dark blackness clouded my eyes.