Hello, my Janemans! ❤️
Thank you for being here. Every time you choose one of my stories, it means more than you know. I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I enjoyed creating it.
A tiny medical update. My doctor says I should be given enough votes and comments to stay emotionally stable. I'm not in a position to argue with a professional, so... you know what to do.
I love you! 💚🤎
• The Commander •
The battle for Ratangarh had turned into a chaotic storm of dust, blood, and iron. The Sultan of Shahraz had marched in with a ruthless army.
Ratangarh had surrendered without a fight. The Sultan had taken control of the kingdom without shedding a drop of blood.
The surrender of Ratangarh sent shockwaves across the region. The combined forces of Mewar, Suryakot, and Vijaygarh now stood united against the Sultan's advancing army.
It was a messy and unpredictable battlefield. Nobody could tell which side was winning. The fight was completely even and balanced on a razor's edge. Every single second brought more casualties. The king of Mewar had stayed back. He sent Commander Agnijeet, to take charge of the entire united army and bring order to the madness.
Agnijeet stood in the middle of this roaring hell. He looked like a force of nature. He was wide-shouldered and towering over the battlefield, completely unbothered by the chaos around him.
His face was a mask of cold stone, completely devoid of fear or mercy. His sharp eyes scanned the chaos like a predator. Blood was splattered across his armor. Some of it was his own, and some belonged to his enemies.
Every swing of his sword was precise and devastating. He cut through the elite soldiers of Shahraz as if they were made of straw. A terrifying aura surrounded him.
Even the bravest enemy soldiers hesitated before stepping forward. Dust swirled around his tall silhouette. His voice boomed over the cries of war to direct his men.
Agnijeet was the only thing standing between victory and absolute destruction.
His eyes truly paralyzed his enemies, piercing shade of brown that burned like heated amber amidst the gray smoke, showing only a cold rage as he stared down his targets. His aura spread fear before he even struck a blow.
Every swing of his sword shattered shields and sliced through chainmail. He was leaving a trail of broken bodies in his wake.
Slowly, the tide of war shifted. Agnijeet pushed the enemy back step by bloody step.
This was never just about defending borders. Every time his brown eyes locked onto the crescent banners of Shahraz, a deep hatred flared within him. The animosity between Mewar and Shahraz was a bloody legacy carved into his very bones.
A swarm of twenty soldiers surrounded him, locking him into a circle of death.
Agnijeet unleashed absolute devastation. He roared and swung his steel in a brutal arc, shearing clean through three men at once. He ducked a spear, shattered a jaw with his elbow, and drove his blade upward through a throat.
Left and right, he hacked through limbs and split helmets until all twenty men lay butchered in the mud.
He stood in the center, breathing heavily, drenched in crimson spray.
Through the clearing smoke, his sharp brown eyes locked directly onto his ultimate target across the battlefield: Sultan Sikandar Shah and the treacherous King of Ratangarh beside him.
The Sultan was not just an invading enemy; this was personal.
Ignoring the foot soldiers around him, Agnijeet began to stride toward them, his boots sinking into the thick, blood-soaked mud. His bloodshoot eyes remained fixed on Sultan Sikandar Shah. Their time was up.
But the air between them suddenly shattered. A curved scimitar sliced through the gray smoke. It aimed straight for Agnijeet's ribs.
Agnijeet threw his weight backward. The razor-sharp edge scraped violently against the broken steel plates of his side armor.
Prince Zubair stepped out of the haze. His armor was spotless, gleaming under the dull sky. Zubair raised his blade with both hands and brought it down in a vertical hack.
Agnijeet raised his sword horizontally to catch the blow. The impact cracked like thunder. The force of the fresh prince's strength drove Agnijeet down an inch into the dirt. It tore at the raw wounds on his shoulders.
Zubair grinned. He pressed all his weight into the blade and forced Agnijeet's sword closer to his neck. Blood dripped from Agnijeet's brow, mixing with sweat and stung his eyes.
Agnijeet abruptly loosened his grip and tilted his blade. Zubair's scimitar slid right off the steel. The sudden loss of resistance threw Zubair off balance.
Agnijeet capitalized on the split second, driving his knee into the side of Zubair's kneecap. A loud pop echoed over the roar of war. Zubair gasped. His left leg buckled, and he crashed onto one knee in the mud.
Agnijeet swung his sword back before Zubair could raise his head. He brought the edge hard against the side of Zubair's neck. The sharp steel cut into the skin and drew a thin line of crimson.
Agnijeet tightened his grip. His muscles locked to slide the blade straight through the throat.
Suddenly, a blur of black fabric dropped from the smoke. Agnijeet's eyes widened slightly. A slender hand shot forward into the narrow gap. A small clay vial was crushed instantly between pale fingers. A pungent cloud of dull-green medicinal dust exploded directly into Agnijeet's face.
The powder hit his open eyes like liquid fire. His lungs gasped for oxygen. His balance teetered as the drug immediately invaded his nervous system, dragging his consciousness downward.
But his hands did not drop as lethal instinct and exact muscle memory guided him. Agnijeet pushed every single ounce of his strength into his forearms and violently wrenched the steel blade sideways.
The edge tore completely through Prince Zubair's throat with a wet rip. The prince's choked gasp was cut short as his lifeline severed. His body collapsed sideways, chest-first into the dirt.
Agnijeet felt the weight release from his sword. But, the battlefield tilted beneath his boots.
Step by bloody step, he forced his legs forward toward the masked stranger. The girl instantly took a quick step back, her green eyes widening in sudden alarm.
But Agnijeet was too fast. His blood-stained hand shot out and gripped her delicate wrist in an iron hold.
The girl gasped, a flash of fear flickering in her green eyes as she tried to pull away. Agnijeet tightened his grip, digging his thumb into her soft skin.
Their eyes locked in a silent clash. Even as his knees buckled and the darkness swallowed him, his gaze remained pinned on her green irises until the final second.
Those eyes burned into his mind as the last thing he saw. Then Agnijeet crashed into the cold silence of the unconscious world.
• The Chains •
The transition from the darkness of unconsciousness to reality was violent. A sheet of hot water hit Agnijeet directly in the face. It seared his skin and forced his eyes to snap open. The burning liquid washed away the remnants of the green medicinal dust.
He tried to move his arms. A metallic clank echoed through the space. Thick iron cuffs bound his wrists tight.
Heavy chains attached to the damp stone ceiling held him suspended. His feet barely touched the cold floor. The steam cleared from his face. His blurred vision started to map his surroundings. He was deep inside a windowless sandstone dungeon of Ratangarh. Torches mounted on the walls provided the only light.
Three brutal interrogators stood in front of him. They wore dark leather aprons. Beside them stood Bhairav, the treacherous Commander of Ratangarh.
Bhairav's lips was twisted into a dark smirk as he adjusted the rings on his fingers. "Swagat hai, Senapati."
(Welcome, Commander.)
Bhairav gave a sharp nod and the first blow landed instantly. A steel-tipped leather whip tore across Agnijeet's bare chest. Agnijeet's muscles tightened like stone under the impact.
His eyes locked onto Bhairav.
The torture became a relentless assault. The second interrogator stepped forward with a wooden club. He smashed it violently into Agnijeet's ribs. A blunt thud cut through the silence of the cell.
Another whip struck his back. It tore away at his flesh. A iron fist landed directly into his jaw. It sent a spray of blood and spit flying across the floor.
Yet his face was a mask of absolute stone. There was no sweat of fear or grimace of agony. There was only a terrifying silence.
Bhairav stepped closer. He grabbed Agnijeet by his hair and violently pulled his head back. He forced Agnijeet to look up. Bhairav barked, his voice filled with a growing rage because the silence mocked him.
"Muh khol aur sach ugal!"
(Open your mouth and spit out the truth!)
Agnijeet did not respond, the cold defiance in his unblinking stare was absolute.
Bhairav stepped back and signaled the torturers to strike with double the force. The whips cracked down again. They tore into his flesh once more. Bhairav's roaring command echoed over and over in the dark dungeon.
"Open your mouth!" he screamed.
The iron-tipped whips and wooden clubs continued to rain down on Agnijeet. The three interrogators were completely drenched in sweat.
Meanwhile, Agnijeet remained suspended from the chains like a silent monolith. His deep brown eyes stayed half-closed.
Bhairav paced the floor. His boots splashed through the dark pools of blood. He was losing his mind.
"Haramzada muh kyon nahi kholta! Kis mitti ka bana hai yeh?" Bhairav roared. His voice cracked with frustration.
(Why doesn't this bastard open his mouth! What is he made of?)
"Stop, let him rot. Everyone out. Let us see how long he keeps his mouth shut," he commanded.
Bhairav muttered filthy curses under his breath, turning on his heel and walking out of the iron door. He signaled the exhausted torturers to follow him.
The echoes of their footsteps faded entirely.
Agnijeet slowly lifted his head. His long, blood-matted black hair fell away from his face. His brown eyes opened completely.
He tilted his head slightly and pressed his senses toward the stone beneath him. He listened to the pulse of the earth.
Two hours passed in absolute stillness.
Agnijeet remained suspended. He tracked the invisible movement of time in his mind.
Suddenly, a micro-vibration rippled through the floor. It was an incredibly faint thud of footsteps.
But they were not coming from the corridor outside. They were coming directly from underneath the ground.
A faint smile touched the corner of Agnijeet's split lips. His count was perfect.
He gripped the iron cuffs tightly within his fists, planting his feet firmly onto the bloody ground. He simply locked his jaws and centered his immense mass, throwing all brute strength into a single downward jerk against the left chain.
The damp sandstone wall could not withstand the force. The stone cracked wide open with a loud grinding crunch. The iron anchor came crashing down. It freed his left hand. He used his free hand to violently wrench the right cuff out of its mounting. He stepped out of the chains entirely.
The dungeon above shattered into chaos right at that moment. A hidden stone slab in the corner of the lower levels slid open with a scrape.
Vijaydev was Agnijeet's closest brother-in-arms. He stormed through the secret tunnel with his sword already unsheathed. It dripped with dark crimson. A lethal squad of one hundred elite warriors poured out behind him like shadows from the earth.
"Seal the main gates! No one gets out!" Vijaydev commanded.
Ten men sprinted toward the iron-reinforced main gates immediately. They threw the colossal beams into place to lock the enemy reinforcements out.
The remaining ninety soldiers fell upon the base guards. They sliced through throats and armor before the alarms could ring out. The air filled with the wet sounds of metal splitting flesh.
Bhairav had been resting in the adjoining chamber. He rushed back in at the sound of the slaughter. His eyes fell upon the sea of Mewar shields and the sheer butchery taking place. The arrogance drained from his face instantly. He realized he was completely outnumbered and cut off.
Bhairav scrambled backward. He dropped his weapon and ducked behind a stack of wooden supply crates in the darkest corner. He prayed the shadows would hide his cowardice.
Vijaydev cut down the last guard in his path. He kicked open the cell door and found Agnijeet standing on his own two feet and rubbing his bruised wrists.
Agnijeet said. His voice was deep, raspy, and completely devoid of pain.
"Der kar di, Vijaydev."
(You are late, Vijaydev.)
Vijaydev let out a laugh and handed Agnijeet a broad-bladed sword.
"Rasta thoda pathrila tha, bhai."
(The path was a bit rocky, brother.)
Agnijeet took the weapon. The weight of the steel balanced perfectly in his palm. His brown eyes swept over the blood-drenched hall. He scanned the bodies. But he did not see the one man he wanted.
Agnijeet commanded. His voice echoed with absolute authority over the groans of the dying guards. "Find Bhairav first."
The soldiers immediately began flipping bodies and clearing the chambers. A warrior near the storage area shouted out within moments. "Yahan hai, Senapati! Kone mein chhupa hai!"
(He is here, Commander! He is hiding in the corner!")
Agnijeet dragged his sword along the stone floor. A terrifying metallic screech echoed through the room as he walked toward the crates.
Bhairav backed himself into the wall. Agnijeet kicked the wooden crates aside and exposed him completely.
"Agnijeet... mercy... I was only following..." Bhairav begged.
Agnijeet reached out with his left hand, gripping Bhairav by the throat and lifted him off the ground. He slammed Bhairav's back against the stone wall. Bhairav choked.
Agnijeet's eyes burned with a cold finality. "Gaddaron ki zuban keval mitti mein achhi lagti hai."
(A traitor's tongue only sounds good when it is buried in the dirt.)
Agnijeet drove his blade straight through the center of Bhairav's chest. The steel ripped through flesh and bone. Bhairav let out a choked gasp, his eyes rolling back as blood welled up from his lips.
Agnijeet twisted the hilt hard, ensuring the heart was completely destroyed. Then he violently yanked the sword out. Bhairav's lifeless body collapsed.
Vijaydev wiped his blood-stained blade on his thigh, looking toward the tunnel entrance. "Yahan rukna murkhata hogi. Dushman ke hosh sambhalne se pehle humein is kalkothari ko chhodna hoga."
(Staying here would be foolish. We must leave this dungeon before the enemy regains their senses.)
Agnijeet gave a silent nod, stepping toward the secret tunnel. Vijaydev and the squad followed close behind. But Agnijeet abruptly stopped after a few paces into the dark walkway.
He turned around slowly. His eyes fixed on Vijaydev. "Tum sainikon ko lekar niklo, Vijaydev. Humara ek bahut aavshayk kaam baki hai."
(You leave with the soldiers, Vijaydev. I have a very important task to complete.)
Vijaydev blocked his path instantly, his face tightened with concern.
"Yeh aatmaghat hai! Aap is halat mein wapas upar nahi ja sakte. Pura mahal dushmanon se ghira hai.."
(This is suicide! You cannot go back up in this condition. The entire palace is surrounded by enemies..)
Agnijeet did not let him finish. His gaze hardened into pure iron. His voice dropped to a commanding tone that allowed no argument. "Kaha na tum niklo. Hum pahunch jayenge."
(I said leave. I will arrive.)
Vijaydev opened his mouth to protest again. But the absolute finality in Agnijeet's eyes silenced him. Vijaydev stepped back with a frustrated exhale. He signaled the men to move forward into the tunnel.
Agnijeet turned his back on them and walked firmly toward the main door of the dungeon. He lifted the colossal wooden beam, threw it aside and stepped out into the open air of the palace grounds.
Outside, the atmosphere was completely oblivious to the slaughter inside. The mewar warriors had locked the gates instantly upon arrival. Thus, no alarm had been raised.
It was the hour of the second watch. The palace kitchens were bustling. The guards were distracted and engrossed in their evening meals. The distant clatter of utensils echoed across the courtyards.
Agnijeet stepped into the moonlight, looking like a lethal god carved out of stone. Blood and sweat trickled down his bare, muscular chest, highlighting every hard cut of his broad shoulders and tight abs.
His long black hair was damp and wild, clinging dangerously to his sharp jawline and neck.
The severe bruises on his golden skin made him look even more ruthless. He dragged his sword along the ground. Every step he took carried a danger that could make anyone's heart skip a beat.
HE did not crouch or hide in the shadows.
Six guards stationed at the arched entrance spotted the towering figure advancing toward them. Their expressions turned from confusion to absolute horror within a second. They drew their swords and shouted orders as they charged at him simultaneously.
Agnijeet met them like a storm.
He swung his broadsword in a bruta arc. The first guard's blade shattered upon contact. Agnijeet's steel cut straight through his collarbone down to the ribs. He pivoted and drove his sword into the second guard's face. He crushed his skull.
Five bodies hit the floor in less than a minute. A pool of blood spread rapidly across the stone.
The sixth guard stopped dead in his tracks. His sword shook in his hands as he stared at the mountain of a man who had just dismantled an elite squad without breaking a sweat.
The guard could not even think of running. Agnijeet shot his left hand forward, clamping his fingers around the man's throat like an iron vise.
Agnijeet pinned him hard on a pillar. The guard's legs kicked wildly in the air. His hands clawed uselessly at Agnijeet's unbreakable grip as his face turned purple from the lack of air.
Agnijeet leaned in close. His dark brown eyes bored into the terrified soldier's soul, his voice a low rasp.
"Woh harit nayno wali ladki kahan hai?"
(Where is that green-eyed girl?)
The guard choked. His eyes were wide with panic as he tried to swallow.
"K... kaun... kaun harit nayno wali...?"
(W... Who... Which green-eyed...?)
Agnijeet did not ask a second time. He drew a sharp dagger from gaurd's own waist. He drove the blade into the guard's side waist. He slowly grated the steel upward. He sliced through the flesh as if ready to rip his intestines out.
The guard let out a muffled shriek behind Agnijeet's crushing grip. His entire body convulsed in pure torment.
Agnijeet repeated. His tone was flat, cold, and deadly. "Woh harit nayno wali ladki kahan hai?"
(Where is that green-eyed girl?)
Tears and sweat poured down the guard's face. He was completely broken by the agonizing pain in his stomach. The soldier raised a shaking finger.
He pointed upward toward the balcony of the upper floor. He directed his finger straight at a heavily guarded chamber at the end of the corridor.
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