Chapter 112 Devraj's Hunt
"The Kshira Sagara!"
"Hayagriva has taken refuge in the Kshira Sagara!"
Indra's eyes gleamed as he peered into the void. In the boundless abyss of darkness, deep within the pitch-black Ocean of Milk, a flicker of golden radiance pulsed that like a lone beacon defying the vast emptiness, an unyielding flame illuminating the path ahead.
That wretch actually hid here.
Without the guidance of the Vedas, he would never have conceived that Hayagriva had secreted himself so perilously close to the very threshold of the protector's divine abode.
"Onward!"
Indra tightened his grip on the reins. Surya's white steed surged forward, galloping through the endless dark, its hooves pounding against the unseen currents of the celestial sea.
For a fleeting moment, the horse neighed—a sound vast as Pranava itself, reverberating through the abyss.
"Lord of the Winds~""Sitting among the winds, they call you, the wisest among the wise~"
Distant yet clear, the sacred hymns of the Vedas resonated across the void. Their divine verses stepped through the darkness, weaving through the cosmos, descending upon the boundless Kshira Sagara.
Deep within the Ocean of Milk,
"I see it... the Light of Wisdom!"
"O Veda, eternal fountain of truth! Grant me the knowledge to be eternal beyond this kalpa!"
Hayagriva stretched his arms wide, his voice trembling with exultation.
The Vedas were his. Madhu and Kaitabha? He did not need them now. Let those two fools perish. He would seclude himself, immersing in the scriptures, deciphering their infinite wisdom in solitude.
As long as he possessed the Vedas, nothing else mattered. Even if Mahadeva himself dissolved the cosmos into ashes, Hayagriva would persist, untouched by ruin.
Such was the assurance the Vedas had granted him.
"O Veda, bestow upon me the wisdom to transcend the end of this age!"
Submerged in the depths of the celestial sea, he bellowed his plea.
And then—
A golden radiance burst forth from his chest.
It carved through the darkness like an unsheathed blade, an unrelenting force that sundered the void. The light expanded outward, a luminous beacon unfurling across the abyss, a lighthouse in the infinite gloom.
"Ah! Such brilliance! Such divine wisdom! Is this enlightenment? Is this the Vedas themselves revealing their sacred truth to me?!"
His eyes widened, his breath hitching.
Endless golden light cascaded from his form, flowing like a celestial river. A surge of uncontainable joy bubbled within him. He stumbled forward, lifted his gaze to the radiance above.
So beautiful.
Closing his eyes, he let the emotion consume him. In this golden expanse, something deep within stirred, an understanding beyond words, beyond mortal comprehension.
"I can hear it… the voice of wisdom within the Vedas!"
"I hear it! It grows clearer!"
His equine ears twitched, adjusting slightly before he stood tall. He turned them skyward, aligning with the divine resonance and surrendering to the wisdom whispering through the sacred light.
"Lord of the Winds~ sitting among the winds, they call you, the wisest among the wise~"
The melody echoed through the abyss, reverberating with an inexplicable cadence.
No.
Something was wrong.
A chill coiled around his spine. His eyes snapped open, just in time.
Indra.
There, astride his white horse, the King of the Devas loomed. His celestial bow was drawn.
And from the bowstring—
A single arrow, wreathed in venomous blue light.
The Arrow of Halahala. A streak of death, tearing through the void, closing the distance instantly.
"Damn you Devraj!" Hayagriva's instincts ignited.
With a swift motion, he raised his hand and loosed an arrow of his own. A shimmering projectile, sculpted from the very waters of the Milky Sea, surged forth to intercept the oncoming strike.
The two divine projectiles met in a violent clash.
A deafening explosion shattered the silence of the Milky Sea as the venom of Halahala erupted, its noxious essence swirling into the churning vortex, mingling with the crashing waves.
A rolling tide of destruction.
Hayagriva's eyes narrowed, flickering with understanding.
"It truly is the poison of Halahala… You even withstood my power."
Without hesitation, he propelled himself upward, bursting from the Ocean of Milk in a spray of radiant droplets.
At that very moment, Indra's divine armor blazed to life. The golden plates absorbed the deadly venom, neutralizing its corrosive force. In the same breath, he drove his celestial steed forward. The white horse thundered through the skies, his arrival heralding a storm.
Two radiant streaks of light tore across the celestial waters, sending waves surging toward infinity.
Hayagriva cast a glance over his shoulder.
Indra was closing in.
Fast.
Too fast.
Any moment now, he would be within striking range. A cold glint flashed in Hayagriva's eyes.
If I cannot flee… then I will strike Indra down!
His body twisted midair, reversing direction in an instant. The bowstring drew taut, bending like a crescent moon. With a single breath, he loosed his arrow.
Flames erupted.
The projectile expanded, shifting, twisting, and morphing into a colossal, snarling goat. The infernal beast roared as it surged forward, its very presence boiling the celestial sea beneath it. Dense, choking smoke coiled around its form as it charged at Indra.
"Burn in the wrath of Agni and Rudra!" Hayagriva's voice rang out, filled with triumph. "Agnirudra Astra and devour him whole!"
The flaming goat bellowed, its body a searing mass of divine fire and destruction, its horns curved like crescent moons dripping molten fury. The heavens trembled as it lunged forward, its hooves cracking the very fabric of the sky.
BOOM!
Indra's gaze sharpened.
With a single, fluid motion, he leaped from his steed, his figure silhouetted against the raging abyss. His golden fist clenched, then struck forward.
The flaming goat shattered on impact.
Scattered embers rained down like a meteor shower, their glow dancing wildly before vanishing into the endless churning sea.
Beneath the second layer of his divine armor, no mere weapon could wound him.
BOOM!
The sea roared in defiance, waves rising and falling like awakened titans. Thunder and lightning split the heavens, detonating against the darkness with celestial force. Streaks of divine light slithered through the skies, writhing like nagas in mid-flight.
Amidst the chaos, Indra and Hayagriva stood face-to-face upon the boundless Ocean of Milk.
Their gazes locked.
Tension crackled in the air like the prelude to a cataclysmic storm.
In the glow of the Vedas' wisdom, their eyes met, a silent decree of the battle to come.
Their forms flickered. Silhouettes flashed and intertwined in the ceaseless, raging tempest.
BOOM!
Lightning struck.
They moved. Bows raised. Arrows nocked.
Two streaks of light tore through the storm and into the heavens.
"Halahala Astra!"
"Shakti Astra!"
Two divine arrows met midair, splitting space itself.
Indra's projectile, a venomous green-blue arrow, writhed as it flew. The poison surged through it, twisting into the form of a monstrous serpent with four gleaming fangs. It lunged forward, its gaping maw thirsting to devour its prey.
Hayagriva, however, needed only one shot.
A single arrow.
One that carried the weight of an entire universe.
It surged forth—unstoppable, unrelenting—space itself bending under the sheer force contained within.
The two arrows collided.
For a moment, silence.
Then detonation.
Half of Hayagriva's arrow dissolved, corroded by the venomous fangs of Halahala. But the other half endured.
Unstoppable.
It tore through the lingering venom, streaking toward Indra with unyielding force.
BOOM!
Indra's golden arms moved.
A single sweep, swift as lightning and precise as fate. His hands cleaved through the incoming force. There was a roar of thunder, followed by a tempest of divine radiance.
The Arrow of Power shattered into ashes.
Hah!
Hayagriva's eyes flickered. At that moment, a surge of divine wisdom flooded Hayagriva's mind.
The knowledge of the Vedas expanded in all directions, an overwhelming force that transcended the very fabric of reality. His aura flared, a blazing radiance that pierced through the abyss, undeniable and absolute.
"I see it now!" His voice rang out, echoing with the weight of newfound revelation. "Your blessing makes you impervious to weapons… but now, I know how to defeat you."
A slow grin spread across his face. Raising one hand, he extended a single finger, pointing directly at Indra.
Indra's gaze sharpened. His head tilted ever so slightly, watching.
Then, Hayagriva's fingers unfurled. His voice was steady, deliberate, filled with unshakable conviction:
"The power of the Vedas flows through me. I can feel the pulse of the world… the essence of Maya itself. Now, let me wield it."
"Cosmic Storm!"
With a single motion, he swung his arm.
BOOM!
The skies and the stars trembled. A violent gale erupted from his fingertips—an all-consuming force that tore through the void.
The winds howled, fiercer and more terrifying than even the might of Vayu himself. A force beyond comprehension surged outward, shaking the very foundation of the celestial ocean. Waves rose and crashed with fury, as though the cosmos itself had been overturned.
In that fleeting instant, Hayagriva had yet to comprehend the full depth of the Vedas' wisdom.
But he understood one truth.
Maya is illusion.
Everything is Maya.
Even the world itself.
And if the world were an illusion, then it could be commanded. It could be shaped, twisted, and bent to his will.
BOOM!
The storm howled. A tempest unlike any before roared to life.
Indra was caught within its merciless grip, his form swallowed by the spiraling maelstrom of cosmic force. It didn't matter that Hayagriva had only just awakened to this power—it was enough to ensnare Indra.
A smirk tugged at his lips.
Let's see how you escape this, Indra.
With a cold snort, he shifted his gaze.
His eyes fell upon Indra's white horse, galloping in the distance. It remained untouched and unshaken by the chaos around it.
That wretched beast. It's divine blessing reeked of arrogance.
His brows tightened. The celestial steed was more than a nuisance. It was a symbol of defiance.
And he would see it destroyed.
Without hesitation, he drew his bow.
A single arrow, wreathed in raging flames, ignited the heavens as it shot forth.
Hah!
The fiery projectile sliced through the void, its aim locked onto the white horse. It was mere moments from striking its target.
But then, a streak of seven-colored light tore through the darkness.
Indradhanu Astra. It streaked forward, overtaking the flaming projectile.
BOOM!
A cascade of thunder and fire erupted as the two arrows collided. Their detonation swallowed the attack whole.
What?!
Hayagriva's equine ears flicked in shock. He whirled around, his eyes widening—
Indra had broken free.
Impossible…!
The King of the Devas stepped forth from the heart of the storm. His golden armor blazed against the heavens, his eyes cold and unshaken. The string of his bow thrummed with power.
Set against it was a snow-white joint, twisted into the shape of an arrow. Its shaft hissed with storm-born energy, and its hilt crackled with the wrath of lightning.
Indra's eyes locked onto his target.
Without a word, he released.
BOOM.
---
Chapter 113 Borne Bound to Die
The arrow streaked from Indra's bow like a flash of divine light, parting the clouds in its wake. In an instant, it split into two, multiplying as it surged toward Hayagriva.
Hayagriva's sharp eyes flickered with recognition. With a swift tilt of his head, he narrowly evaded the first, but the second struck true, piercing his neck. His body froze. Then, with a quiet snap, the arrow shattered and fell, tumbling toward the churning Kshira Sagara below.
A low chuckle rumbled from Hayagriva's throat. "Heh… hehehe… Hahahahaha~" The laughter grew, echoing across the celestial battlefield. He lowered his head slowly, watching the broken arrow fall before raising a hand. With a flick of his fingers, the fragmented bone shot back up, drawn into his grasp like a wayward servant returning to its master.
Crunch. Crunch.
Hayagriva rolled the white bone between his fingers, his golden eyes narrowing as recognition dawned. His grip tightened. For a moment, he was silent—then, a bitter laugh rumbled from his throat.
"Ah… so this is what you used?" His voice was laced with disbelief, his lip curling into a sneer. "The bones from that wretched game? The dice from Chausar?"
His fingers clenched, and the brittle remains of the stolen relic cracked softly in his grasp.
"You truly are pathetic, Indra." His golden eyes burned with scorn as he lifted the fragment to the light, letting it gleam between his fingertips. "You would take the remnants of a game... a game!—and believe it could seal my fate?"
His sneer widened into a savage grin.
"Hahaha! You fools!" His laughter boomed across the battlefield. "Do you not understand? My boon is absolute—only a being like me can end me!" He spread his arms wide, exulting in his own unbreakable nature. "This bone was once part of me, yes… but it is not me! It is a discarded piece, tainted by the hands of gods and gamblers alike! How could something so impure possibly destroy me?"
His laughter grew, wild and triumphant, echoing into the heavens.
"I am unique! The only horse-headed being who achieved so much in the entire existence! There is no other. There will never be another!"
His gaze snapped to Indra, his smile twisting into something cruel. "You seem quite attached to that white horse," Hayagriva mused, tilting his head. "Very well. Then I shall slaughter it!"
With a smooth, practiced motion, he drew his bowstring taut, the celestial weapon bending like the full moon. A flickering inferno crackled at his fingertips as he nocked a blazing arrow, its light reflected in his smirking eyes. "Die!" The fiery projectile formed at full draw, its divine flames writhing with destructive intent.
But at that very moment—
A streak of light pierced through the battlefield, cutting through the chaos like fate itself. It wasn't just any light. It was the arrow that Hayagriva had dodged moments ago. It had returned. Like a vengeful ghost, it twisted through the sky and struck true, smashing against Hayagriva's bowstring.
CRACK!
A deafening explosion erupted, splitting the heavens apart. Thunder rolled across the sea of milk, sending waves crashing outward in every direction. A dazzling bolt of lightning flashed through the storm, illuminating the battlefield in brilliant white. And in the heart of the chaos, something gave way.
Hayagriva's bowstring snapped. The severed cord lashed out violently, its sharp recoil slicing through the air and cutting across Hayagriva's own neck.
For a moment, he stood motionless. His stance remained unbroken, his arms still frozen in the posture of his final attack. Then the silence broke.
A thin crimson line appeared across his throat. A single droplet of blood welled up, trembling for an instant before slipping free and rolling down his neck. From the wound, a radiant Vedic light began to shine. It was golden and divine, like the first light of dawn rising over the edge of the world.
Indra stepped forward, his divine bow still in hand. His expression remained unreadable as he strode across the churning Sea of Milk, each step undisturbed by the crashing waves beneath him. Behind him, his white horse neighed frantically, its cries carrying over the battlefield, but Indra's gaze never wavered.
He stopped just before Hayagriva.
"It's true," Indra said, his voice calm, deliberate. "I cannot kill you."
His eyes gleamed as he tilted his bow slightly, divine lightning still crackling along its edges.
"But breaking a bowstring?" His lips curved into a smirk. "That's not so difficult."
The last flickers of wisdom and clarity shone in Hayagriva's eyes. His voice trembled as he muttered to himself, "Th-Those… last verses…" His breath came in ragged gasps. The golden eyes that once brimmed with arrogance now swam with desperation.
"How… how… how did they escape my grasp?"
With each word, the golden radiance of the Vedas flared brighter around the wound on his neck. The divine energy pulsed violently, surging as though it would burst free at any moment.
Yet still, he did not understand.
He had wielded the knowledge of the cosmic storm, drawn wisdom from the very fabric of the universe itself. He had seized the Vedas, believing them to be treasures, and hoarded them as if their power could be possessed. He had taken them away towards the depths of the cosmic ocean, thinking that by keeping them from creation, he could claim dominion over all wisdom.
But the Vedas are not meant to be imprisoned. They are not possessions to be claimed by a single being.
They belong to the cosmos.
"Why…?" he gasped, his voice barely a whisper. "Why did it fail…?"
Indra stepped forward, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he shook his head.
"I'll grant you this last answer."
His voice was steady, not mocking, not triumphant. Only honest.
"You thought wisdom was meant to be kept for yourself. But the Vedas are not meant to be hoarded. They are the breath of creation itself, flowing through existence, sustaining the cycle of dharma. You sought to contain them, to break the cycle. But knowledge that does not flow stagnates. That which is not shared loses its purity."
The golden radiance around Hayagriva's wound intensified. His breath hitched, his vision blurred.
Indra's gaze was unwavering as he spoke the final truth.
"You may wield wisdom, Hayagriva. You may even glimpse the fabric of existence. But you cannot outrun fate."
A hush fell over the battlefield. The very air trembled with an unseen force.
"Pralaya is inevitable."
Hayagriva's eyes widened.
A bitter chuckle escaped Hayagriva's lips. His golden eyes, though dimming, still burned with defiance.
"And what of Brahma? What of Vishnu?" His voice wavered, but the challenge in it remained. "If all things must dissolve, what becomes of them?"
Indra exhaled, his gaze unwavering. "Brahmadev is bound to the cycle of time. When Pralaya comes, he too will fade, only to be born again when the next creation begins." His voice held neither scorn nor pity. It was the truth.
He lifted his bow slightly, divine lightning still humming at its edges. "Vishnu does not perish, nor does he escape it. When the dissolution of all worlds begins, he lies upon the endless waters, cradling the cosmos in the silence of his breath. He dreams the universe anew, but even he cannot halt the cycle."
Indra's gaze darkened, the weight of understanding settling upon his shoulders. "None can stop it. Not you. Not me. Not even Mahadeva himself. Shiva does not fall into dissolution. He is the witness to it. He is the stillness beyond creation, the unchanging truth that remains when all else is washed away."
The truth of it settled into Hayagriva's very bones. His breath turned shallow.
Indra narrowed his eyes. "If a truth can be bypassed, then it is no truth at all. The true, ultimate reality cannot be evaded. It has no conditions, no exceptions. It simply is."
His voice grew quieter.
"And you, Hayagriva… you have tried to evade it."
A pulse of divine energy surged outward.
"But have you ever stopped to wonder…" Indra's voice dropped lower, almost a whisper, "If this is the first time?"
A shudder ran through Hayagriva's fading form.
"How many cycles have there been before this one?" Indra mused. "How many times have you clung to the Vedas? How many times have you hoarded them, believing yourself above the order of things? And how many times… have you failed?"
A terrible thought took root in Hayagriva's mind.
Was this the first time?
Or had he done this before? Had he tried this in countless cycles, only to fall each time? Had he, in some forgotten age, spoken these very same words, felt this very same despair, only for it all to be erased so that he could try again?
Indra watched him, waiting.
Then a pulse of divine energy surged outward.
FWOOM!
In an instant, streaks of radiant sunlight flared around Indra's body, wrapping him in golden brilliance. The third layer of Sahasrakavacha emerged, gleaming with divine power.
This time, he had condensed it with just nine hundred years of arduous penance.
A mere fraction of his dedication.
Yet, it was enough.
The divine armor shimmered, its radiant layers impervious to wind, rendering the cosmic storm powerless against him. It was a simple yet profound truth.
For in this vast cosmos, all things were woven from the Pancha Mahabhutas—earth, water, fire, air, and ether. To transcend even one was to render vast domains of power futile.
And Hayagriva had no counter.
A deep sigh left the Asura's lips. His golden eyes flickered. First in defiance, then in resignation. He had hoarded the Vedas, believing their wisdom belonged to him alone, yet he had failed to grasp their true nature.
He had sought to chain knowledge, yet knowledge had unbound him.
His breath came in shuddering gasps, his once-imposing form trembling.
Yet, at the very end, a shadow of a smile played on his lips.
His voice, though weak, still held a trace of amusement.
"Futile… all of it… The Kala Chakra never ceases."
A low chuckle followed, bitter yet knowing.
"Tell me, Indra… when the next Kalpa dawns, will I rise again? Will you stand before me once more? How many times has this played out?"
His golden eyes, once brimming with arrogance, now held something else. A glimpse of Mahashunya, the great void, the inexorable dissolution of all things.
Perhaps this was not the first time he had fought.
Perhaps it would not be the last.
But Pralaya is the only truth.
Even Shiva, the destroyer himself, cannot halt it. He can only embrace it.
Hayagriva exhaled one final time. His body succumbed to the inevitable.
Then, his severed head fell.
SPLASH.
The cosmic ocean swallowed him whole. His form dissolved into the formless waters of creation.
The air trembled. The battle was over.
And far above, the Vedas shimmered, free once more. Their eternal wisdom remained untouched by time.
A pillar of golden light erupted from the wound, piercing the dark skies above the Sea of Milk. From within that divine radiance, four sacred texts emerged, floating free from Hayagriva's broken form.
The Four Vedas.
The battlefield trembled at their presence. The very air shuddered as their sacred radiance dispelled the lingering shadows, illuminating the heavens with eternal wisdom.
Indra stepped forward. Without hesitation, he lifted his hands.
Fwoosh!
The scriptures descended gently, aligning themselves in perfect harmony before settling into his grasp. For a long moment, he simply stood there, gazing down at them.
Their outward form was unassuming, akin to ancient tomes, weighty in his hands. But he knew better.
Indra exhaled softly, a flicker of amusement glinting in his eyes.
"The foundation of the universe's wisdom, wrapped in something that looks sturdy enough to strike down an asura…" He smirked. "Truly, never judge a book by its cover."
His gaze lifted to the sky, voice quiet but firm.
"And yet… You were spared, Hayagriva. Not by fate, but by the mercy of those far greater than I."
He looked beyond the horizon, as if addressing the silent heavens.
"Vishnu and Shiva, they honor every boon and every curse. Not because they are bound by law, but because they uphold the law. Karma and penance shape the fates of gods and demons alike. Even your defiance, your theft, was permitted to unfold… because it had to."
Indra's eyes narrowed, reverence and gravity in his tone.
"But if they had truly willed your end, if they had so much as breathed the thought that you should perish… You would have been erased the moment you conceived your crime."
He held the Vedas close, the divine tomes pulsing softly in his arms.
"Your fall was not punishment. It was released. And your curse, Hayagriva, was never a shield. It was a mirror."
But before he could dwell further.
Four golden wisps rose from the Vedas, weaving together like strands of celestial light. In an instant, they surged toward him, shooting straight into his forehead.
BOOM!
A silent detonation rippled through the depths of his mind.
A flood of revelation.
His breath caught. His vision blurred. Sacred truths spiraled through his consciousness in boundless patterns of knowledge beyond the grasp of mortals, beyond even devas.
His eyes widened.
For an instant, he saw it.
The immutable laws of Dharma. The illusory nature of all existence. The great veil of Maya that enshrouded creation itself.
And yet—
As swiftly as it had come, the truth eluded him, slipping from his grasp like water through open fingers.
"I… I almost understood…" he murmured, his brows knitting together.
"…Maya?"
Slowly, his gaze lowered to the Vedas resting in his hands. Their golden aura pulsed softly, shimmering like distant stars, offering wisdom beyond measure.
A quiet determination settled in his heart.
From this moment on, he knew that he would carry these Vedas with him. He would meditate upon them in his penance.
And perhaps, in time, he would unlock their deepest secrets.
With that thought, Indra cast a final glance at the fallen Asura.
The corpse of Hayagriva floated lifelessly upon the celestial waters. Bathed in the sacred radiance of the Vedas, their form began to change. Little by little, dissolving into shimmering foam. Their dark essence purified, merging at last with the Sea of Milk.
And then it was gone.
Indra exhaled softly.
With a quiet shake of his head, he tightened his grip on the Vedas and strode forward. He did not linger.
Mounting his white steed, he seized the reins and spurred it onward.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The King of Horses galloped across the endless ocean, its silken tail flowing behind it like a banner of light. With each stride, golden waves rippled outward, glistening beneath the vast sky.
And above it all—
The radiance of the Vedas illuminated the world once more.
"Vedas…"
From the heights of Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva stood in silent vigil, his Trishul resting lightly in his grasp. His deep gaze followed the streak of divine light that cut across the horizon, its brilliance reflected in his tranquil eyes.
A quiet murmur left his lips.
Beside him, Devi Parvati smiled.
Moments ago, anger had burned in her heart, fierce and unyielding. Now, it had vanished, dissipating like morning mist beneath the rising sun. Peace settled over her, as gentle as the touch of a cool breeze.
The air itself seemed to rejoice.
Soft celestial music flowed through the heavens, its melodies filled with both joy and reverence. A chorus of immortals and sages pressed their hands together in gratitude, their eyes glistening with tears.
The great sacred bull, Nandi, let out a deep, satisfied breath. His mighty frame stood steady, his gaze warm with devotion. And across the divine realms, laughter and prayers mingled as the celestial hosts celebrated the return of sacred wisdom.
—
Far above, in the highest dimension, even above Svarga. Satyaloka.
Brahma stirred.
A flicker of golden light flashed in his countless eyes.
He blinked. Then again.
His breath caught, and for a fleeting moment, the expression of the great Creator was one of pure astonishment.
Then a radiant smile spread across his face.
"The Vedas…!"
"They have returned!"
Joy surged through him, bright and overwhelming. Without hesitation, Brahma moved his very being, dissolving into golden radiance as he stepped across realms, drawn inexorably toward what had been lost and now restored.
—
The clash of steel and the roars of Madhu and Kaitabha thundered through the void. The twin asuras circled him in rage, their voices rising like storms. Blades of chaos, forged from arrogance and fury, slashed toward him from every side.
Vishnu did not move.
His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, upon the glow rising from the Kshira Sagara. The Vedas had returned. Their sacred light shone once more upon the world, and the balance of dharma had been restored.
Madhu bellowed, his voice cracking with frustration. "You ignore us? Still? After all this time?"
Kaitabha hurled a spear of shadow, its edges hissing with venom. "Do you mock us, Vishnu? Turn your back on battle?"
The weapon shattered before it reached him.
Vishnu remained silent. His face betrayed no emotion. He was not deaf to their fury, only beyond its reach.
He lifted one hand. The motion was effortless, as if it required no thought.
From his fingers, the Sudarshana Chakra spun forth. It did not strike the demons. It did not even glance in their direction. Instead, it flew out into the darkness, a wheel of eternal light spinning beyond time and form.
Its purpose had already been fulfilled.
The cycle was whole once more.
A tremor passed through the universe—not of fear, but of alignment. The breath of creation settled back into rhythm.
Madhu and Kaitabha stared in disbelief, their rage now edged with uncertainty.
And far below, Indra rode on. Across the infinite sea, the Vedas held close to his chest, he moved like the wind of destiny itself.
Above him, the stars shone with renewed clarity.
---
Chapter 114 Return of Knowledge
Sudarshan Chakra spun ceaselessly, its golden radiance illuminating the battlefield like an unyielding sun.
A streak of divine light ripped through the void, moving with the force of the cosmos itself. It shot toward Madhu, aiming straight for his throat. Only to erupt into a cascade of shimmering sparks, scattering like the remnants of sundered stars.
Yet, despite the sheer force behind Vishnu's divine weapon, Madhu stood untouched. The Sudarshan Chakra's relentless rotation continued, but the Asura remained unmoved.
Kaitabha did not hesitate.
With both hands, he raised his colossal mace. A weapon of unfathomable weight, forged in the depths of primordial chaos. As he swung it downward, the sheer force tore through the fabric of reality itself, shattering layers of space, collapsing voids like fragile glass.
BOOM!
The devastating strike was aimed straight at Vishnu.
Yet Vishnu's expression remained unreadable, neither sorrowful nor wrathful. His form flickered briefly, vanishing in an instant, only to reappear behind Madhu and Kaitabha, untouched
Without pause, Gada, the divine mace of Vishnu, swung out once more.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The battlefield became a maelstrom of flashing silhouettes and intertwining shadows—weapons clashing in an earth-shattering struggle that sent tremors through the very fabric of existence.
Another impact thundered across the heavens.
Brahma had only just arrived in the starry expanse when his eyes widened in shock—the entire sky was swallowed by the shadows of titanic weapons, their celestial presence crushing and suffocating.
For a moment, he faltered. The sacred Kamandalu in his hands nearly slipped from his grasp.
With a hurried breath, he steadied himself, fingers tightening around the sacred vessel. Then, his figure shimmered, dissolving into the vastness of space.
A soft hum lingered in the air.
And in the next moment, Brahma was gone.
...
The Asura generals did not hesitate. The moment the darkness receded, they vanished into the void, retreating without a sound.
Among the stars, a gathering of Devas stood in tense anticipation. Rishi Brihaspati and Narada hovered at the edge of the battlefield, their gazes fixed on the fading remnants of shadow.
"The darkness is gone," Brihaspati murmured. "The Vedas have been reclaimed. But where is the King of Svarga?"
"I don't know!" Agni said, his expression tight. "None of us saw where he went."
Surya scanned the celestial expanse, his brow furrowed.
Vayu blinked as realization struck. "I saw him," he said. "He moved too fast for me to react. He must have gone after Hayagriva."
The Devas exchanged glances, their unease slowly giving way to something else: hope.
If the darkness had lifted, if the Vedas had truly returned, then there could be only one explanation. Indra had defeated Hayagriva.
"So where is he now?" Brihaspati demanded.
A golden radiance flashed through the void.
Brahma, the Creator, materialized among them, his divine glow illuminating the heavens.
"Pranam, Lord Brahma!"
The Devas bowed as Brahma acknowledged them with a serene nod.
"Indra has slain Hayagriva and retrieved the Vedas," he declared. "We need only wait."
His words settled over them. A silence stretched for a moment, then shattered.
"He broke the boon of Hayagriva?" Narada asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "How?"
"Finally!" Surya exhaled, divine light shimmering around him. "We can return to Svarga!"
"Yes!" Vayu's voice brimmed with exhilaration. "Svarga belongs to the Devas once again!"
Relief rippled through the gathering.
The battle raged on. Vishnu still clashed with Madhu and Kaitabha, their power shaking the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet somewhere in the midst of it all, Indra had triumphed. Their realm, their dominion, their throne in Svarga would soon be reclaimed.
And then, the void trembled. A thunderous boom exploded through existence.
The battlefield quaked beneath the clash of divine forces, as the war raged on.
The Devas flinched but did not move. They had considered assisting but witnessing the sheer ferocity of Vishnu's battle, they knew better. Against such overwhelming power, they would only be in the way.
Brahma, too, turned his gaze toward the battlefield. His eyes narrowed.
Madhu. Kaitabha.
A quiet sigh escaped him.
"At least these two are not my creations."
The thought sent a shiver down Brahma's spine. He had already seen the disastrous consequences of unchecked divine blessings.
Madhu and Kaitabha, born from Vishnu's earwax, manifestations of Tamas (ignorance) and Rajas (passion), had emerged from the primordial darkness of creation.
Yet, in their arrogance, they dared to challenge their Creator.
It was Mahadevi, the Supreme Goddess, who granted them a boon. A very troublesome one at that. They could not be slain unless they willed it themselves.
And so, they ran unchecked.
The result? Calamity.
They had stolen the Vedas, tearing the fabric of knowledge from existence.
They had plunged the cosmos into darkness, wrenching away the wisdom that upheld dharma.
Brahma's expression hardened.
Power without purpose and wisdom? He condemned it completely.
If it were him, he would never grant such a boon so freely. No—he would test, temper, and refine his creations.
A true son of his would be disciplined, devoted, and above all, would never rise against the one who gave him life.
Brahma's mind swirled with thoughts.
Tread. Tread. Tread.
A snow-white horse stepped through the void, its divine hooves echoing across the endless expanse. The sound rippled through layers of space, piercing the stillness of the starry sky.
At once, all eyes turned.
Brahma's gaze followed the disturbance. His white beard shifted slightly as a knowing smile spread across his face.
Indra.
"Indra!" he called, his voice carrying through the heavens.
A murmur swept through the assembled Devas.
"King of Svarga!"
"He's returned!"
"Asura King Hayagriva is finally dead!"
Their voices rang out in the void, echoing Brahma's exclamation. Figures stepped forward, their eyes lifting toward the approaching rider.
The white horse galloped closer, cutting through the celestial expanse like a comet.
Indra sat atop his steed, holding the brick-like weight of the Vedas in his grasp. Knowledge itself lay heavy in his hands. His eyes flickered between Brahma, standing in quiet majesty, and Vishnu, still locked in a fierce battle against Madhu and Kaitabha.
What a fight.
Madhu and Kaitabha had spent countless years in Svarga, training, biding their time. In the end, they had summoned Brahma with the sheer power of their penance and stolen the Vedas. And now—
Indra's gaze narrowed slightly. Brahma wouldn't give these two another blessing… would he?
The thought lingered only for a moment. Then, with a fluid motion, he swung himself off the horse, feet landing lightly on the celestial skies. Clutching the Vedas in both hands, he stepped forward.
"Pranam, Lord Brahma." His voice was steady, solemn. "Hayagriva is dead. The Vedas have been reclaimed."
Brahma's expression brightened, the relief evident in his ageless eyes. He raised a hand, and at once, the four Vedas shimmered, lifting into the air in a golden radiance.
Swish!
The scriptures flew toward him, settling gently into his grasp.
And in an instant, infinite golden light flooded the Triloka.
The cosmos resonated with the Vedas' return. The balance of creation was restored. The wisdom of all living beings, once stolen, had returned to them once more.
The Devas stood transfixed. Some rejoiced, others watched in stunned silence, expressions shifting between awe, relief, and disbelief.
Brahaspati folded his hands, shaking his head lightly, an almost wistful warmth in his gaze. The Vedas were home.
Indra's grip on his staff tightened slightly. His golden eyes flickered.
The Vedas.
Hayagriva had taken them in a desperate bid to transcend the cycles of destruction and rebirth, to survive the next great calamity.
A dangerous thought crept into Indra's mind.
"Maybe the Vedas hold something for me, too." A wry smile ghosted across his lips. "I only have a little over four billion years left to live. If I could outlast even that… would I take the chance?"
His fingers curled slightly around the divine knowledge in his hands. "I should study them more… when I have time."
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