The Champions’ Arena

Night had arrived, and the rains that descended upon the land could do very little to stop the two silhouettes from fighting. The boy, armed with a kattari blade, swiveled and struck repeatedly to penetrate the defenses of his master - Bhavanu, but to no avail.

The boy retreated, adopting an aggressive stance.

Bhavanu stood still, eyes unblinking in the rain, his broad sword pointed gracefully to the ground. “Let go,” he spoke loudly.  

The boy screamed, tightly gripping the blade in his hand, and rushed towards his master. Bhavanu grunted, a sign of dissatisfaction, as he sidestepped and leaned back on his back foot to parry the boy’s strike. He immediately swiveled forward, and all at once whacked the boy on his arm while kicking him in the belly.

The boy gasped for air as the pain in his stomach shot to all parts of his body, thereby losing his blade. Within no time, his head was locked within Bhavanu’s arm.

“Let go,” the master grunted again.

The boy was beginning to lose consciousness.

“Let go of everything you have learnt,” said the voice, and Arjuna returned to the present. He was pinned to the ground by the Hayacrian soldier, fighting to stop the pointed edge of a blade that was inching closer towards his face.