Chapter 20

After completing his education in Amarkhand, Mahavira went to Arthala, while Kan traveled to Kundar with his dear friend Chakradhar. On the day Yuvraj Chakradhar was crowned, Kan was appointed as the General of army of Kundar, and after some time, he also became the supreme Commander. No one dared to set their sights on Kundar, solely because of Kan's presence—the only human Earth bender.

A few years later, the fire of Emperor Siddharth's campaign to conquer the world reached Kundar as well. The emperor waged war against Arthala, and as Arthala's closest ally, Kundar was compelled to join the battle. The emperor's armies advanced into Kundar, reaching as far as the banks of the Sangam. Seeing his homeland in peril, Kan assumed the fierce form of the greatest Earth bender and unleashed devastation upon the invaders. He single-handedly slaughtered a quarter of the enemy's army. Which equalled to 50,000 soldiers.The entire stretch of the Ganga, from Sangam to Kashi, ran red with blood and was filled with torn flesh. This battle became known as the Raktganga-Sangram.

In that war, Kan fought with such unparalleled might that he seemed to possess not two but a thousand arms. From that day onward, people began calling him Sahastrabahu—"the one with a thousand arms." Though the emperor was ultimately defeated, the horrifying sight of the blood-soaked Ganga left an indelible mark on Kan's soul. Overwhelmed by the destruction, he vowed never to use Bhumi-Siddhi again.

After the Raktganga-Sangram, Kaan resigned from his position as Commander of the army and prepared to go into exile. However, after much persuasion from Maharaj Chakradhar, he agreed to take on the role of Protector of Kundar—the most revered position in the kingdom. After assuming this role, he devoted most of his time to spiritual practice...

Just then, a large raindrop landed on Kali's hand. The rain intensified, and the tree that had been sheltering them could no longer provide adequate cover. A short distance away stood the temporary chamber of the chief craftsman. Without delay, Kali led Vidhan and Sattu toward the room. It was empty. After settling onto the wooden stools in the corner, Kali resumed his tale—

"Five years ago, Prince Sudas was crowned The primary heir to the throne. A month after his coronation, Maharaj Chakradhar traveled to Amarkhand for state affairs, leaving Prince Sudas to serve as acting king. Within just three days of assuming power, he withdrew an enormous sum from the royal treasury—an amount equivalent to three months' worth of tax revenue from all of Kundar.

By law, the acting king has limited access to the treasury, so once he reached the limit, the treasury was sealed. No one knew where the money had gone. When Sudas sought to withdraw more, the treasurer refused. Enraged, he seized the funds by force.

When the esteemed Kan learned of this, he personally took control of the treasury. In retaliation, Sudas declared him a rebel and sentenced him to death. Yet, no one dared to lay a hand on Kan.

Blocked from further plundering the treasury, Sudas exercised his authority to seize all of Kundar. He ordered the brutal enforcement of tax collection, killing Eagles, the messenger, to prevent word from reaching the king swiftly. Taxes were imposed even on those who were exempt, and those who resisted were slaughtered.

Thousands perished in the bloodshed that followed.

It was during this dark time that your father was likely killed..."

He started again, "All of Kundar was shocked by Sudas' wicked behavior. Even after forcibly collecting taxes, he still did not have enough money. Desperate, he turned to the treasury once more, but withdrawing funds was impossible as long as Kan was there. So, he ordered Kan's impeachment.

Bound by law, Kundar had no choice but to comply with the acting king's order. Venerable Kan was deeply saddened and decided to leave Kundar. Everyone urged him to wait until Maharaj's return, but he refused. He said his role in Kundar was over. Then, he left and went into exile.

Upon Maharaj's return, Sudas even demanded his arrest, but instead, the king had Sudas imprisoned. Considering that Sudas was Kundar's only heir and to preserve the kingdom's honor, he was pardoned on the grounds of mental instability. Meanwhile, spies were sent to other states to search for Venerable Kan.

A few days ago, our spies discovered that Sudas was planning to overthrow the current king with help of Emperor Siddharth's military support. Around the same time, Venerable Kan was finally located.

Although he had renounced war, his mere presence would have strengthened Kundar. The king sent me to bring him back. Unfortunately, Sudas caught wind of this. He feared that if Kan returned, Emperor Siddharth might withdraw his military support, and his plan would fail. So, he sent his most trusted bodyguards to assassinate him.

Today, Sudas was impeached in the royal court and sentenced to imprisonment for an undisclosed period."**

Kali glanced at Vidhan, whose furrowed brow revealed his deep concern.

"Is mere imprisonment a sufficient punishment for that villain?" Vidhan asked, frowning.

Kali sighed. "After the revelations made by Law Minister Saransh in the Royal court today, it is difficult to determine what punishment Sudas truly deserves."

Sattu and Vidhan exchanged questioning glances.

"Kundar has fallen victim to the demon-policy," Kali continued. "To the west of Jambudweep lies a demon kingdom called Santhar. The demon community is primarily a trading Race, dealing in spices and powders. To expand their influence, they employ a strategy known as demon-policy.

Under this policy, they first enter a kingdom under the guise of merchants, offering spices and powders for trade. They entice the rulers by explaining the unique benefits of their products—how their spices enhance the taste of food, how their powders can strengthen war horses, and many other remarkable claims.

Initially, they request permission to conduct experiments, offering free food in the process..."

After some time, under the guise of trading spices, the demons began secretly distributing narcotics to the youth of the kingdom. Initially, these substances were given for free, but once the victims became addicted, the demons demanded exorbitant sums in return. These narcotics were so potent that those who consumed them became utterly enslaved, willing to do anything to obtain more.

The demons' primary target was the prince of the kingdom, for he had access to the royal treasury. They supplied him with expensive intoxicants, ensuring that the kingdom's wealth was drained at an alarming rate. In this manner, they gradually siphoned off all the resources, plunging the kingdom into economic ruin. Once a kingdom was sufficiently weakened—both financially and militarily—the demons would waste no time launching an invasion and seizing control. Intoxicated and impoverished, such kingdoms could offer little resistance. This strategy had already allowed the demons to expand their empire across the western lands.

Amarkhand recognized this scheme and issued a warning throughout Jambudweep, urging all states to sever trade relations with the demons. In response, most kingdoms banned their entry. With the trade embargo in place, the demons could no longer infiltrate politically. Geographically, their path was blocked as well—Arthala lay directly in their way. Without crossing Arthala, they could not reach Jambudweep. Desperate, they waged war on Arthala but failed to break through.

For years, the demons had tried every means possible to infiltrate Jambudweep. When all direct attempts failed, they shifted their focus to Kundar—the wealthiest and most powerful ally of Arthala. Evidence revealed that with Emperor Siddharth's assistance, the demons had supplied intoxicants to Sudas. Addicted beyond reason, Sudas had plundered the royal treasury just to obtain more.

These intoxicants had a peculiar effect—during the day, a person would appear normal, but at night, they would experience unbearable withdrawal symptoms if deprived of the substance. Some victims banged their heads against walls, others wrung their hands uncontrollably. Some chewed on wood, while others suffered from terrifying hallucinations. For the last six years, Sudas has been trapped in this dreadful condition.

While Sudas undoubtedly had a cruel nature, the greater blame lay with the demons. His actions were those of a desperate addict, manipulated into ruin. The demons, ever treacherous, preferred to hollow out their enemies from within rather than confront them on the battlefield. It was Kundar's fortune that Law Minister Saransh uncovered the truth in time and brought these events to light.

Kali fell silent. He glanced at Vidhan and Sattu—Vidhan appeared calm, while curiosity flickered in Sattu's eyes.

Outside, the rain had stopped. They mounted their horses in silence and rode towards the resting chamber.

(A.N.- you guys might be wondering how a powerful warrior like Kan who single handedly slained an army got killed by mere bodygards of prince Sudas.

To know the answer keep reading the book

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