Chapter 46: Naraka Lokeshvara Yama (Vol 1 End)
After leaving the castle, Vijay quickly made his way to the army camp on the outskirts of the city. When he arrived at the camp, he saw Ramaiah in the tent giving orders to his subordinates. As Ramaiah saw Vijay's bloody state, he got up, visibly shaken to see his king drenched in blood all over his body, along with the queen.
Ramaiah rushed over to Vijay to check if he was injured. He couldn't fathom the chaos that would erupt if anything were to happen to Vijay. He was certain that his father would be the first person to kill him if anything happened to the King. The mere thought of such an outcome sent shivers down his spine. As he examined Vijay's body, he breathed a sigh of relief that there were no major injuries apart from the cut on his ear, which for him was a minor injury. After ensuring Vijay's safety, he turned his attention to the others present. He noticed the person Vijay was carrying – the king's maid who had cared for him since childhood. He also saw the queen and the royal family's butler with them.
Ramaiah quickly expressed his condolences to the king but then shifted his focus to the main issue. "Your Highness, forgive me for being insensitive, but what happened?"
Vijay, recalling all the events that had taken place in the royal palace, was consumed by fury once again. However, he quickly regained control over his chaotic emotions and counted his experiences.
After fully hearing Vijay's experience, Ramaiah began to contemplate the way the rebels' ambushed. "Your Highness, based on what you said, I can only think of a single possibility. Most likely, someone from the rebel's side must have been privy to a secret entrance leading towards the centre of the city. Unless Vayu Deva (the god of wind) simply transported them, I cannot think of another explanation."
Vijay, considering Senapati's opinion, realized the seriousness of the situation. He also couldn't forget the existence of his distant cousin, who was once a part of the royal family and might have had access to information not passed down to the main branch. He felt a sense of frustration for not even being aware of the tunnel beneath his own feet.
Senapati finally asked, "What would you like to do, Your Highness?"
Vijay, feeling at a loss for words, wracked his brain for ideas. He tried to think of the vast number of future plans stored in his head. But unfortunately, none of them seemed applicable to the current situation. Then, something clicked in his head. He recalled a story he had read during his schooling years about Onake Obavva, a warrior who single-handedly fought against the forces of Hyder Ali using a pestle (Onake) in the kingdom of Chitradurga, India.
Vijay noticed that his circumstances now somehow resembled that of the legendary figure Onake Obavva. A plan quickly formed in his mind. Thinking of this, he turned to Senapati and asked, "Is our cavalry still outside the wall ?"
Ramaiah was taken aback by the unusual question, but he answered truthfully, "Yes, Your Highness, they are cleaning up on the battlefield."
Vijay was satisfied with the response as he swiftly issued various orders, "First, send a special squad to the centre of the city and silently capture an important member from their army. Use whatever means necessary to extract information about the origins of this tunnel. Second, once the origins are identified, send out the remaining cavalry along with those already outside. When they reach a hundred meters from the destination, instruct them to be on standby. Next, from our side, we will take all remaining infantry to silently attack their camps in the city centre. Once we have subdued them internally, we'll wait quietly as more rebels emerge from the tunnel."
He continued, "We'll kill all the rebel captains and capture the soldiers willing to surrender. Once we're confident that almost the entire rebel army has passed through the tunnel, we'll launch a flaming arrow high into the air, similar to how the war started. This signal will indicate to our cavalry that they can charge into the camps on the opposite side of the tunnel. This move will draw the nobles and important personnel into the tunnel."
Vijay's gaze burned with a chill as he outlined his plan, "At that point, we'll push into the tunnel with all our might, sparing no prisoners. It will be the decisive moment of the war. Let this battle end the same way it began."
He conveyed his plan with a fiery determination for revenge.
Senapati, upon hearing the plan, was instantly shocked by Vijay's approach. He quickly saluted the king and replied, "It is a brilliant strategy, Your Highness. We will do as you have ordered." And so, the Pralay plan began.
The first step involved sending out a squad of elite soldiers with top-tier martial skills. With the advantage of the home base, The team swiftly navigated the terrain towards the city centre. Spotting a middle-aged man instructing a group of rebels, the unit identified their target. They efficiently kidnapped the man, who couldn't put up much of a fight against the squad of masters. After subjecting him to interrogation, they obtained crucial information about the number and locations of the rebel forces.
With this information, the cavalry rushed towards a camp located one kilometre outside the city. The area was hilly, so they dismounted from their horses and proceeded on foot. They were well aware of their mission, which was not to engage in a full-scale battle, but rather to apply pressure on the rebel army, forcing them to escape through the tunnel.
Back in Hampi City, the army was swiftly organized as they raided the central area of the city. Numerous uncooperative individuals were swiftly eliminated, as those flowing through the tunnel were unaware of the ongoing battle. The ones outside had no opportunity to make a sound, as each squad that emerged from the tunnel was quickly silenced and subdued.
When it seemed that almost the entire rebel army had exited the tunnel, a fiery arrow was shot high into the air, signalling the next phase of the operation.
Back in the rebel camp.
Vimal was waiting anxiously. He still hadn't received news of Vijay's death, but he was confident that the ambush had gone perfectly according to his plan. In his opinion, all of Vijay's forces were outside the city, and even if there were more soldiers, they wouldn't number more than 10,000. He believed it should be relatively easy for his own army to handle the opponent.
As he contemplated these matters, he suddenly saw a bright light in the sky, shining like a star. Seeing the light in the sky triggered a sense of déjà vu within him, as he remembered the light from the flaming arrow that had initiated the conflict. Seeing the same signal again., A chill ran down his spine as he had a foreboding feeling about the sign. Just as he feared, within moments, thousands upon thousands of Vijayanagar soldiers surrounded the rebel camp.
As the soldiers started to hack and chop the rebels, soon dead bodies began to fall down, Seeing this, The nobles present were in a state of panic, some even succumbing to fear to the point of wetting themselves. When had they ever witnessed such a display of violence in their life, They knew that their lives were over if they got caught. Vimal, realizing the dire situation, quickly surveyed the surroundings for potential escape routes. Unfortunately, his search proved futile – they were encircled from all sides. The location that seemed strategically advantageous had turned into a trap, making escape impossible.
Hoping against his intuition, Vimal yelled, "Get into the tunnel! They might have discovered our location from the personnel we sent earlier. We Send 40,000 soldiers to the other side. Most likely Vijay's plan is to eliminate us because he couldn't defeat our army head-on. He's using his remaining forces to corner us like a coward. Now, move!"
Upon hearing Vimal's instructions, the nobles found a glimmer of hope. They quickly got up and rushed into the tunnel, driven by desperation and fear. The speed at which they moved was never before seen.
As all the rebel personnel left through the tunnel, the cavalry outside refrained from pursuit as they had a mocking expression on their faces. They observed the retreat of the rebel army and their leaders through the tunnel. Inside the tunnel, Vimal and his companions hurried along, hoping to reach the city centre. But as they approached, they saw a large group of men carrying torches and advancing toward them. In the dim light, Vimal recognized a face he dreaded – Vijay and his army.
Seeing this unfolding, Vimal knew he had lost. He sank to the ground, defeated
"Why why why...." He kept muttering as The infantry of the Vijayanagar Empire ploughed through the nobles like a thin sheet of paper, ending their rebellion.
Blood, guts, and brains were thrown across the narrow tunnel. Vimal was soaked in the blood of his comrades as he lifted his gaze, only to meet the emotionless eyes of Vijay. Clad in blood-spattered iron armour, Vijay seemed to embody the Naraka Lokeshvara Yama Himself, the King of Hell.
Vijay, finally face-to-face with his enemy, raised his Talwar high. The urge to cleave Vimal apart surged within every fibre of his body, yet a rational voice in the back of his mind tempered his impulse. Gaining control over his emotions, he lowered his Talwar and ordered his men to capture the traitor. Vimal would face public execution, heralding a new era for the Vijayanagara Empire.
Following this blood-soaked battle, one that exacted a heavy toll, the kingdom's dominion would be solidified. The implementation of Vijay's reforms could proceed smoothly, effectively transforming the governance of Vijayanagara into an early modern system. This foundation would enable the expansion of the realm's territory in the times to come.
End of Vol 1
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