Page 145 of Sumanika

“Is everything ready?” I asked.

“Yes, everything’s prepared,” she stated before inquiring,“But what are you planning to do?”

I rolled my tongue over my lips, struggling with the thin air. "I am planning to fuck these motherfuckers in my way," I promised, and he thinned brows with confusion.

“But what is your way? Agastya?” he chuckled softly.

I rested my hand on his shoulder and looked at the soldiers observing me. There were five of them.“Listen to me very carefully,” I started, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Keep this rope hanging in this empty well for seven days. Do not leave this place. I will come back soon through this rope. And,” I inhaled deeply and looked at Eklavya.“If I do not return in seven days, do not tell anyone until we win the war,” I ordered, and his expression changed immediately.

“But where are you going?” he asked, looking into his eyes.“Just listen to me carefully, Eklavya,”

"If I don’t return in seven days, take the lead and go near the army with the trained arrow shooters. Hide behind the trees and kill the invaders immediately. Do not leave a single one alive, understand?" I asked, and he nodded, looking at me. I leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

“Jai Mahakaal,” I cheered, to which he responded with a determined and powerful voice,“Jai Mahakaal.”

Looking at the soldiers, I nodded and ordered,“Hang the rope.”

I took one bag with me and walked toward a large group of soldiers waiting for me at the requested place.

I walked toward the wide, dry river opening I had discovered with Eklavya the other day and saw the soldiers waiting for me. Ashwin had appointed them all at my request.

“So, have you all had breakfast?” I asked, glancing at the soldiers with a hint of fear.“Yes, commander,” one of them thundered in a loud voice, and I appreciated looking at him.

"Bahut se yudh lade honge aapne aaj tak. Lekin aaj to karya karna hai vo yudh ladne se jyada mehtavpoorn hai. Chahe jo bhi ho jae, galti nahi honi chahiye, or thakna to bilkul nahi,"

“You all must have fought many wars by now. But the work you have to do today is far more important than any war. No matter what happens, no mistakes should be made, and you must not tire until it is finished,” I said, and they all replied with a strong voice.

"Jai Mahakaal,"

"Jai Mahakaal," I replied in the same tone, and we all entered the same area inside the cave. With the help of the fire torches, I finally reached the spot where the cannons were placed. Everyone was shocked to see them, and I told them to immediately remove the ropes they were carrying and tie them to the cannons.

I asked them to do ten cannons at a time. It took quite a while, and it felt like evening fell as a small group of soldiers arrived with food and water supplies for them. After the meal, we all resumed our work, and I helped tie the ropes to the cannon.

“Come on, pull them forward to the outside now and take them where I asked you to take them,” I said, helping them move the cannons up the slopes. I instructed them to get the cannons out, and it took almost five and a half hours to remove twenty cannons from the cave.

"Take them to the place I asked you all to take them to," I said, and one of them asked.“Commander, you won’t come?"

I smiled at him and shook my head.“You take charge from here, and if I don’t arrive in time for the attack, let Commander Eklavya take over,” I said, and they all nodded.

They ghosted the cannons away with the help of elephants covered in black clothes.

I was alone now.

I closed my eyes and prayed to Mahadev to watch over everyone and ensure that no one died in this war—not a single soldier.

I went back into the cave and began examining it closely. I pressed my ear against the cave walls to listen for the water level on the other side, if there was any, because I had noticed dampness on the rocks the previous day.

That simply meant a parallel water channel was running alongside this dry channel, but there was a thick wall separating us.

All I had to do was find the spot where the wall was thin.

If I couldn’t burn these cannons to ashes, I could destroy them with water.

I continued searching for the next one and a half days for the thin places and marked a few. Now, I needed to explore the high-pressure point where the water would be heavy and turbulent, flowing with such force that it would take everything with it.

I was about to start hitting that place with the axe. But suddenly, I heard some movement in the cave. My ears perked up, and I quickly ducked behind a wall, extinguishing the torch in my hand. I couldn’t afford to be caught. I watched a troop of Mehrangarh soldiers arrive to take out the cannons.

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