Chapter 26

It had been a long time since Siddharth had returned to his room after the royal court. Usually, after court was dismissed, he would take a long nap and rest, but today, fueled by his own anger, he restlessly paced the room. Sometimes he grew angry at Prashant, sometimes at the flatterers, sometimes at his imaginary conspirators, and sometimes at his own family—but he was most angry at Vasuki.

Years ago, Vasuki's father, Vajji, had come to Mundra as an ambassador of the Asuras. During his tenure, a friendship had developed between Siddharth and the Asuras. It was due to Vajji's influence that Siddharth first nurtured the desire to become an emperor. Over time, Siddharth and Vajji became so close that Siddharth began to love Vajji more than any member of his own family. When Vajji's tenure ended five years ago, he secured the position for his son, Vasuki. At first, Vasuki performed as admirably as his father, but in the past few years, his plans had started failing. The emperor, accustomed to success, gradually began to grow irritated with him.

Siddharth's anger might have continued to boil unchecked had the gatekeeper not announced Vasuki's arrival. The emperor shouted in fury, "Send him in!"

Vasuki, of average height, wearing a red turban, clean-shaven, with a dark complexion and a sly smile, entered the room.

Trying to contain his rage, the emperor frowned and said, "Is the power of the devils (Asura) growing weaker by the day?"

"I understand the meaning of the Emperor's words," Vasuki replied at once. "I personally went to finish off that Earth bender."

"Then why didn't you?" the emperor roared.

"I was about to finish off the boy when the great Mahavira arrived."

At the mention of 'Mahavira,' Siddharth's heart burned with jealousy. His mind screamed—I am the emperor of Jambudweep... yet people speak of his bravery. What difference was there between Mahavira's bravery and his own? But then, an image surfaced in Siddharth's mind: There is a difference... He is a protector, and you are a predator. He defends his borders, while you consume the borders of others. The protector will always be superior.

"Silence, you fool!" Siddharth scolded his own thoughts.

"What difference did the Mahavira make?" the emperor demanded, eyes blazing.

Vasuki remained silent for a moment. He glanced around, composed himself, and said, "As soon as I received the Emperor's order, I slipped into enemy territory with only ten soldiers to kill that boy. But how long could a handful of men stand before the great Mahavira—a force that demands an entire army to subdue it? He is known to be the mightiest warrior of our era. So I withdrew, waiting for another opportunity.

"Second chance...?" the Emperor finished, his glare sharp. "By whose order did you use the ghost soldy without informing me?"

Vasuki was stunned. Spying in Jambudweep had advanced significantly in recent years, but he hadn't realized it had become so sophisticated that even his own secret actions were no longer hidden. Suppressing his unease, he replied calmly, "Emperor, this is all connected to my failures."

"Don't speak in riddles, Vasuki. Be direct," the Emperor growled.

Vasuki softened his tone, infusing his words with honeyed diplomacy. "Emperor, for the past few years, I have failed to meet your expectations, causing your trust in me to waver. To regain that trust, I was determined to complete this mission at any cost. In my desperation, I deployed the ghost soldiers. Time was short, so rather than consulting you first, I sent the ghost soldiers and dispatched a spy to inform you afterward."

"Then why didn't the spy arrive?"

"He may have met with an accident," Vasuki said, his expression unreadable.

"You gave me the same excuse last month," the Emperor snapped irritably.

"Emperor, this is not an excuse," Vasuki countered smoothly. "I warned you before—Arthala's spies have infiltrated Mundra. They steal information and eliminate key operatives."

The Emperor remained silent for a moment, his piercing gaze assessing Vasuki. Then, his voice turned cold. "Forget the spies. Your clan claimed that the fire-ghosts were being developed in secrecy—each one supposedly as powerful as thirty ordinary soldiers. And yet, even combined, they couldn't kill a single boy? If they were going to be revealed so openly, what was the point of keeping them secret all this time?"

"Emperor, the creation of the fire ghost soldiers is still incomplete. They are not yet at full strength—it will take time for them to reach their true potential. I underestimated that boy's power based on our first encounter, so the undeveloped soldiers failed to eliminate him. As for their exposure, only a select few can perceive them."

Vasuki leaned in slightly, his voice measured. "No one has truly seen them, so all that will spread are rumors—misconceptions. And these misconceptions will serve our cause. They will reinforce the belief that Mundra possesses supernatural powers. The kings whose faith in you has wavered? Their doubts will be silenced. Their fear will grow. Their allegiance will strengthen."

The Emperor's expression shifted—Vasuki's last point had struck a chord. A glimmer of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

Sensing his advantage, Vasuki pressed on. "I believe we should stop focusing on that boy. He is still in the early stages of bending—it will take him years to reach full mastery. Alone, he cannot defend Arthala. But our new weapons and powers will ensure Arthala's destruction this time."

A trace of certainty appeared on the Emperor's face. He nodded slightly. "The development of the ghost soldiers must be completed on time. If you give me another excuse, Vasuki, I will not hesitate to have your head displayed in the royal court."

Then, stepping closer, he whispered in a low, sinister voice, "Double your internal efforts. You have failed too many times. Change your approach. Arthala's dynasty is small—that alone is an advantage."

Vasuki understood the Emperor's unspoken command. Bowing respectfully, he requested permission to leave and quietly exited.