If the death is sudden and of less pain, everyone would say that they can take death easily. But what if, the same death comes when you are at the top of your carrer, when you are enjoying life with your loved ones. And when you are made to think about what will be your family be doing after your death, then that moment is even worst than the death itself.
That's what Veer did with them, by making them see unseen what they have never dare to imagine and the result?
Years of hardship had hardened these men, but I could see a flicker of doubt in their eyes, a cautious intrigue beneath their bravado.
Chaukha, one of the bandits, chuckled and said, "You've got quite the sharp tongue for someone who looks so soft. Hurry up; say what you want before we grow tired of this game."
"My request is simple," I stated, my eyes narrowing with intention. "I want your leader—not his life, but his loyalty." A bold declaration, one that tasted of sweet victory.
Gora, the most imposing of the trio, snorted in disbelief. "You think we just hand out our leader's name like street sweets?"
I tilted my head, my smile unwavering. "No. I think you value your tongues far too much. It would be such a shame to ruin your voices before you sing your songs of thievery."
Lal, the third bandit, burst into a derisive laugh. "What are you going to do—harm us with your sugary words?"
I stepped closer, my calm demeanor contrasting sharply with their rising aggression. "Let's put this to the test. Three days ago, Gora—your handiwork left a bloody trail at the spice market. The guards found the body, and I know where you hide your knife."
Chaukha's composure shifted slightly at my words. "Your sister's boy is gravely ill, isn't he? I sent medicine. Do you know who guards his door now?"
The bandits' expressions darkened, the weight of my observations striking a nerve. "And you, Lal—you bought that green turban from the temple market, but isn't it cursed? Why else would your last two robberies fail?"
A tense silence enveloped us, the air sharp and electric, flowing with unspoken threats and hidden truths. Gora, now gripping his knife tighter, hesitated, his instincts battling against their curiosity.
"Who… are you?" he growled, curiosity dawning amidst his aggression.
"I am simply someone who knows far more than I care to reveal," I replied, gripping the recipe scroll tightly in my hand. "And if you're smart, I'm someone who can offer you gold without the shedding of blood. Now, about your leader—someone has been quietly coordinating the thefts on grain convoys with near-military precision. Someone with maps, and a desire to remain hidden in the shadows."
As I finished speaking, the tension in the air shifted; trust hung by a thread, but so did the possibility of something altogether unexpected. Filling the space between us, a deal waited to be forged—a dance between ambition and desperation beneath the looming trees that sheltered our unshakable confrontation
Chaukha:
Even if I were to relay your message, believe me when I say, that no boy with clean hands would dare approach him.
Veer (offering a subtle, enigmatic smile):
Tell him this: "The candle that cuts wishes to speak." If he possesses the cleverness I suspect, he'll certainly make an appearance.
Lal:
And what if we do not relay your message?
Veer (stepping back, his tone gentle yet laced with foreboding):
Then your secrets will spill into the light, and you will meet your end long before the dawn. Not by my hand, mind you, but at the hands of those whom you've betrayed.
(With that, he pivots to leave, submerging himself back into the shadows, and surprisingly, they remain rooted to the spot behind him.)
Gora (barely above a whisper):
He's not your average man.
Chaukha:
He speaks like a prince, but the stench he carries, it's as if he's walked straight out of a grave.
Lal:
Or perhaps he's a god disguised. Whichever it is, one thing is crystal clear… we've lost control of the situation.
As everything unfolded, it all felt eerily parallel to what Sun Tzu professed: "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster." Now, even if they longed to eliminate me, the truth was they were hopelessly ensnared in doubt.
They didn't know if I was simply bluffing or revealing a deeper truth. Veer mused to himself as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting hues of orange and crimson across the horizon. His arduous journey had taken the entirety of the day, riding a horse cart, the driver too afraid to venture any further than the forest's mouth.
After an hour of trudging through the dense underbrush, he had arrived at a place hidden deep within a half-dead forest — the notorious Bone Hollow, a sunken ravine that once echoed with the clashing of swords during an ancient battle. Here, the atmosphere thickened with the scent of damp decay, a silence pregnant with past violence.
Before him lay a crumbling stone stairway, half-consumed by gnarled roots that twisted up from the earth, leading into a network of caves carved meticulously into the ravine's sides. Skulls and shattered weapons adorned spears, their grim presence serving as cautionary tales to those who dared trespass. As he neared the entrance, flickering torches illuminated the darkness within, their flames producing thick yellow smoke that danced in the shadows, casting distorted silhouettes that never quite aligned with their creators.
The lair revealed itself not merely as a den, but rather a brutal realm within a realm. Above all, Bone Hollow was heavy with the pungent odors of wet leather, cold steel, and smoke from the fires, mingling with something far more sinister—a scent that resembled burned teeth.
Well just like in everyone's life there is always one moment when all the knowledge they have accumulated throughtout their whole life amount to, this is that moment for me if yes i live if no i die Veer thougth as started observing his surroundings.