The Book of the Asura- Part 1 [Puru]

The stench of rot hit the nose as soon as Puru entered Lord Kumbha's chamber. In the middle of the room was the bed covered with a thick net that obscured the heavy figure of Lord Kumbha, who rolled over and grunted. Harihar was seated at the bedside, stirring a mixture in a bowl lost in his thoughts. All the windows were open, but the smell of death was still heavy in the room. In one corner sat a heavy bundle with talismans of many colors and sizes spilling out from it to the ground.

Harihar turned around when he heard Puru enter the chamber and gave Puru a glum look.

"Did he take the medicine?" Puru asked, concerned.

Harihar sighed. "A spoonful will do him little good." He went back to stirring the mixture and then poured it into a cup. Harihar had lit all kinds of aromatic incense and burned herbs to mask the stench in the room, but it helped little.