Krishna! - Part 2

Chapter 29 - The fight

'Krishna!! Come out! You can't hide from me! You coward, come out', bellowed Rukmi. He could not believe how events unfolded that day. He was already tired and was sweating in the heat.

'Over here, Agraja!', came a voice filled with mischief.

Rukmi stared angrily in the direction from where the voice came. And to his astonishment, he saw his sister tightly holding the hand of the man he hated the most. Both of them stood in the chariot driven by Daruka. And he suddenly realised Krishna looked familiar.

'Do you see Mohini, Agraja? Well, I think Mohan is a better choice for a name now, considering my attire!', chuckled Krishna and looked at Rukmini. She smiled gratefully at him, but her heart held fear. She knew that her brother would burst out like a volcano. Rukmi was ready to explode.

'Rakhma, you? You deceived me? You, of all people?', he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Rukmini looked at him with tears in her eyes, 'Agraja, were you not going against Dharma when you decided to fix my marriage against my consent? What else did you expect me to do? I had no choice. I told you with love, I showed anger and still you did not bother to listen to me.'

'Oh come on! You don't know anything about this vile creature here. He will make you unhappy. He is a womaniser, he will leave you for some other woman!', thundered Rukmi.

'What is the guarantee that Shishupal won't do the same? He stares at me with lust! I can't bear that. He just wants to use my body. I know that Agraja, I can see it very clearly!', Rukmini protested.

'Rukmini!! Shut that mouth of yours! You dare to go against me?', Rukmi was visibly in rage now. Rukmini shuddered at that tone and took a step back. Krishna frowned and looked at Rukmi.

'Rukmi, behave yourself. That is not how you would talk to anyone. And this is your sister.', he said grimly, as he held Rukmini by the shoulder gently.

'Cut out the nonsense, you! I am talking to my sister here. Who are you to talk in between?', Rukmi shut Krishna up. Krishna decided to allow him to speak.

'Answer me, Rakhma! How dare you do this!', thundered Rukmi.

Rukmini did not say anything and just looked down. She did not want to see Rukmi. She knew that one more look at him would make her fall in fear. All she felt was Krishna's grip over her shoulder tightening and also reassuring at the same time.

'Oh! so you won't answer me, you ungrateful girl? You want me to wait here in the Sun expecting you to answer? I don't have all day. Come back this instant!',

'Rukmi, don't test my patience! That is not how you speak to your sister!', Krishna found his voice rising a little

And in response Rukmi shot his Agneyastra at Krishna. Before Rukmini could react or Rukmi could rejoice, Krishna had destroyed it with his Varunastra. Krishna held his bow tightly. And in a split second, he gleamed like that Ramachandra himself, with the Kodanda in his hand. Rukmini looked at him. Krishna did not look back at her but stood pointedly at Rukmi. Rukmi began grinding his teeth, not expecting Krishna to easily put off his astra in a second. In anger he fired the Nagastra which Krishna very easily countered with the Garudastra. Rukmi in a fit of rage, decided to fire the Sammohanastra, forgetting that he was standing in front of the gratest trance creater ever, the biggest illusion ever, Mohan. Krishna immeditely pulled out the Prajnastra and fired the same. The two arrows met and just got destroyed. Rukmi's face now had turned red in anger, while Krishna stood, just grim-faced. Rukmini could not understand what to do and just stood helplessly watching two people she loved fight against each other. Rukmi then hurled his spear towards Krishna, only to be swiftly caught by the latter. Krishna simply lifted his palm and created a protective shield around his chariot. One after the other, Rukmi cast his Gada at Krishna and it just hit the protective shield created by Krishna and burst into flames. Now Rukmi had nothing left. So he took his sword and got off his chariot.