After taking bath in Lake Manasarovar, Markandey walked into a secluded place to meditate. He was chanting Panchakshri mantra when Indra appeared before him.

“Pranam Rishi Markandey” said Indra.

"Oh what great thing has happened that the great Indra himself appeared at this place" said Markandey Sarcastically.

"Why is the great immortal angry at me? I don’t remember doing anything against you maharshi” said Indra with attitude.

“Maybe not me, but to someone who is innocent and good.”

“Oh! I think you figured out the truth. I should not be surprised because you are Maharshi markandey, the things that can be hidden from you are not many. So I will come to the point. I want the girl and her mother”

“NO” replied Maharshi.

*****

IN the mean time:

A guard rushed into the hall and informed Manihara about Rukus. Manihara quickly hurried to the place where his brother’s body lay with his demon guards.

The scene shook him emotionally. Anger welled inside as he saw his brother’s dead body. He got up and the surveyed the area.

Manihara noticed the split on the ground. He touched the blood which was not Rukus’s and smelled it, then put a drop on his Mani(Jewel) and chanted some words looking at his Mani. The jewel showed Apoorva’s face, then Poorvi’s face.

“It’s her” Manihara was shocked at seeing Apoorva’s image.

He quickly ordered his men to surround the ashram.

“I want the girl and her mother” he ordered. His soldiers surrounded the ashram and set it on fire. They searched for the girl in every house; they tortured the sages and their families.

Apoorva took Poorvi and escaped from the ashram through a back entrance. Many thoughts running through her mind, however the main thought on her mind is Poorvi’s safety.

“I don’t know where to go, how can I save her? Maharishi said not to believe anyone, not the gods, nor Gandharvas. Where can I hide her?” she thought in her mind processing for a possible move.

“Mom stop, where are we going? We have to go back, we cannot leave them” Poorvi interjected her thoughts trying to stop her mom. “So many innocents are dying. I don’t want to run, I want to fight them” she said without fear. Fierceness visible in her eyes, she was never afraid of demons.

“No Poorvi, no, you are a child. You know nothing, you have to follow mother” she said. Poorvi tried to argue “no more talk on this matter, I am your mother and I know what I am doing” she declared.

As they stopped to look for a direction, a spear hit her from the back, the point coming out from the front. Poorvi fell looking at her mother. There was shock in her eyes as she hit the ground.

Apoorva screamed. “No, no, not you too Poorvi. Not you. Oh god! Why does this happen to me again and again.”

“No... no Poorvi don’t leave me, please god take my life instead of her. I will sacrifice myself to you, please let her live. What to do now? God help me please...” she screamed hysterically.

At the same time a few meters away:

“Perfect shot my lord, there is no one who can beat you in spear throwing” praised general Kaaladhama. “Blood debt has been paid for our brother” he said with ruthless eyes.

Both saw the hysterical screams of Apoorva. They slowly walked taking their own time as they saw her despair. They did not feel anything for the mother. They were war veterans, saw lot of blood, death and despair. They also lost many kids, women and demons from their clan as well. When they saw someone from god world despairing, it felt good for them.

*****

Indra was arguing with Markandey when he felt some uneasy feeling. He quickly closed his eyes concentrating. He was taken aback by what he saw. His village was being ravaged by demons. He quickly disappeared from there with a loud bang. The energy released by his teleport made Indra take 10 steps back.

Indra quickly followed. When he appeared he saw the demons all hanging in the air, their own swords at their neck. All the fire extinguished, new plants and trees emerging from the ground. All disciples slowly waking up and their injuries automatically healing, he saw Markandey furious. He was looking at the demons hanging in the air.

“How dare you people destroy my village? Who is your leader and where is he?” he shouted.

“You think we will betray our lord Manihara, dream on” replied one of the soldiers.

“Manihara?” Markandey was surprised to hear the name. He remembered this demon who chased Apoorva on Indra’s order. It’s been too long to sice he saw him after that fateful day.

Indra was also surprised to hear the name because he went suddenly off radar after that incident and Indra was not able to find him anywhere.

Indra suddenly got angry after hearing that name. He quickly summoned lightning and turned the demons to ash who were hanging in the air upside down.

“What did you do?” glared Markandey at Indra.

“I am lessening your burden. Anyways you are not going to kill them as far as I know. Maybe you will just punish them severely and leave them with their life. And they won’t change even after that and attack Indralok. It’s a big headache” explained Indra.

“You rishis are too soft-hearted” he snorted.

Markandey was disinclined to argue with him so he again closed his eyes, he then quickly teleported. When he appeared he was infront of Manihara and Kaaladhama.

He looked back and was horrified to see Poorvi lay on the ground with blood wound on her chest.