[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable":3,"chapter-mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-chapter-135":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Mahabharat: Shiva's Last Variable",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1857030,2464,"Chapter 135 - 133: Gathering... Strengthen Their Influence...","mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-chapter-135",135,"\u003Cp>(A\u002FN):\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guys I hope you put more comments and power stones... Which will encourage me...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-------------------------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After A Week...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A week after the grand coronation of Dhritarashtra, life within Trivenivrata continued peacefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roads leading toward the capital remained busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants arrived daily carrying goods from distant kingdoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pilgrims traveled toward temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Farmers brought produce into the city markets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Artisans sought opportunities in the growing kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prosperity of Trivenivrata had become difficult to ignore day by day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, this also made the kingdom a perfect place to disappear into a crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One morning, shortly after sunrise, a small merchant caravan approached the western gate of the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five men accompanied a large wooden cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cart was loaded with bundles of rare herbs, medicinal roots, dried flowers, and valuable forest ingredients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men themselves looked ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dusty travelers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants who had spent weeks on the road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing about them stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always, the guards of Trivenivrata performed their inspections carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingdom’s prosperity had attracted many newcomers, and King Devara had repeatedly instructed his soldiers to remain vigilant without becoming oppressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cart was searched thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bundles were opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Storage boxes inspected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Documents checked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards even questioned the merchants regarding the origin of their goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything appeared legitimate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The herbs were genuine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trade permits were valid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answers were consistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly an hour of inspection, the captain of the gate guard finally nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You may enter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five merchants bowed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Sir.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive gates slowly opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their cart rolled forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that—The first agents of the practitioners entered Trivenivrata.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they disappeared into the busy streets, the smiles on their faces vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were no merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not truly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All five belonged to the practitioner clans hidden within the forest beyond the borders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each possessed knowledge of tantra and ritual arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each had been selected carefully for this mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And each understood the importance of what they were about to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oldest among them quietly guided the cart through the city streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Observe first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice remained low enough that only his companions could hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No unnecessary actions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had received strict instructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No attacks. No obvious rituals. No reckless behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their purpose was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Learn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And prepare at the right time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder practitioners in the forest had reached a conclusion after the disaster involving the pishachas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could not strike blindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not against someone protected by forces they barely understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If future rituals were to succeed, they required a connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A foothold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something anchored within Trivenivrata itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stronger the connection, the stronger the influence their distant rituals could exert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why these five had been sent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To live among the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To learn the rhythms of the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To identify locations of significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sacred grounds. Old shrines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>River crossings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancient trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Places where ritual energies naturally gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cart rolled deeper into the capital, the practitioners silently studied everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The markets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what they saw surprised them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city did not feel like most kingdoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was laughter everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Children ran through the streets without fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants openly praised the fairness of local laws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even tax collectors were not being cursed by the population, a rarity in almost every kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the practitioners frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The people seem genuinely happy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oldest among them remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had noticed something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something he disliked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere they went, conversations eventually returned to the same name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devara.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king who had settled disputes personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king who walked among commoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king who spent time in the gurukul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king who spoke with farmers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king who apparently played games with children and somehow befriended half the animals in the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stories sounded absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet they were repeated everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not with fear. Not with obligation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With affection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder’s expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of loyalty was dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because kingdoms held together by fear could be broken easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kingdoms held together by genuine trust were far more difficult to destroy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As evening approached, the five disguised practitioners rented a modest warehouse near the merchant district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officially, it would serve as storage for their herbal business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unofficially, it would become their base of operations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, after ensuring nobody was watching, they gathered in the warehouse’s cellar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small oil lamp burned between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder unrolled a map of Trivenivrata.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His finger slowly moved across it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We begin tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the younger practitioners nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The ritual sites?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First we learn about the king.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room became silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whatever resides within Devara...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...is the key to everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them noticed that outside the warehouse, perched upon a nearby rooftop beneath the darkness of night, a black cobra sat motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its golden eyes stared directly toward the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it already knew exactly why they had come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the following weeks, the five disguised practitioners settled into their roles surprisingly well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By day, they operated as herb merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They bought roots from villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sold medicines to travelers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Negotiated prices in markets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paid taxes properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, they became familiar faces within the merchant district of Trivenivrata.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all the while, they listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every conversation. Every rumor. Every story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every piece of information connected to Devara.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, most of what they heard sounded ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youngest among them often rolled his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to this man, the king once spent half a day helping children build toy boats.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another practitioner snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And according to that woman, he personally helped repair an old farmer’s irrigation canal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder merely listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A kingdom always exaggerated its heroes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then the stories became stranger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far stranger as they listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One evening, while serving customers at their shop, they heard a traveling merchant speaking excitedly to a group gathered around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I saw it myself!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant slapped his thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With my own eyes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several listeners laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve told that story ten times already.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll tell it a hundred more!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant who was a former solider pointed toward the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When Kamsa attacked, I was there!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The practitioners immediately became interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant lowered his voice dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I saw King Devara transform.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The listeners grew quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after all these months, stories about that day still captured people’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I swear upon my ancestors.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He transformed into Lord Narasimha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The practitioners exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had heard versions of it dozens of times already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first they dismissed it as myth-making.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sort of tale people invented around popular rulers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the strange thing was that the details remained remarkably consistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witnesses always described similar events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same overwhelming aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same divine form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same terrifying presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same destruction of Kamsa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That consistency bothered the practitioners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very few rumors remained so stable unless they were rooted in something real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later that week, they deliberately sought out more witnesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People who claimed they had personally been present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not secondhand storytellers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actual eyewitnesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One old soldier sat across from them at a tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had lost two fingers during the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no reason to invent stories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder practitioner carefully asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You truly saw it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier became quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cheerful expression disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For several moments he stared into his drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he nodded. Slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I saw it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried none of the excitement found in storytellers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old soldier looked toward the distant palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can call me a liar.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can call me a fool.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I know what I saw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tavern had become quiet around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier’s hands trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One moment there was Prince Devara.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The next...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swallowed just thinking about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...there was something else.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The practitioners listened carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier struggled to find the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wasn’t transformation. It felt more like...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze unfocused slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...like a god looked through him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words made the elder practitioner freeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they sounded disturbingly similar to what he himself had felt when the pishachas were destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not transformation. Not possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something looking through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier laughed nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know how crazy that sounds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But every person who was there felt it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We weren’t looking at a man anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We were looking at something ancient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nobody at the table mocked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the fear in his eyes was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, inside their warehouse cellar, the practitioners gathered once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder sat silently while the others discussed their findings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The stories are too consistent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The witnesses genuinely believe them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The battle records match portions of the accounts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them slowly unfolded a scroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We originally thought the Lord Narasimha story was political propaganda.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder nodded his head seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So did I.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room became quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, one practitioner asked the question everyone had been avoiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think he truly carries a fragment of divinity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder looked toward the oil lamp burning between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its flame flickered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind returned to the ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pishachas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The overwhelming presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he remembered the soldier’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Like a god looked through him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally the elder spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That single word carried enormous weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because coming from him, it was practically an admission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder leaned back slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If what the witnesses describe is true...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If what we experienced is connected to the same source...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...then we are not dealing with a blessed king.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nobody spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oil lamp crackled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the elder finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are dealing with a man whose soul is connected to something far beyond our understanding.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since entering Trivenivrata, genuine caution replaced curiosity within the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet beneath that caution—The greed remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if even a fraction of those stories were true...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the power hidden within Devara was greater than anything they had ever imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, the five practitioners finally decided to take the next step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For weeks they had done nothing but observe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had studied the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mapped the roads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marked temples, shrines, river crossings, and old sacred groves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, they had learned the rhythm of Trivenivrata itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they intended to establish a stronger connection to the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep beneath their rented warehouse, the five sat around a low wooden table illuminated by a single oil lamp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spread before them was a hand-drawn map of Trivenivrata.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder pointed at five locations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The northern boundary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The southern boundary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The eastern boundary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The western boundary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His finger then moved to the center of the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the capital.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others nodded listening to the instruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the map rested five small dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each had been carefully crafted over several days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Made from cloth, herbs, threads, clay, and materials gathered from various parts of the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first glance they looked harmless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple handmade dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet each contained symbols and markings hidden beneath the stitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder wrapped the final doll in cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are not attacking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at each of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remember that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger practitioners nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disaster with the pishachas was still fresh in their minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None wished to repeat it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are merely establishing a connection.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A foundation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the city slept peacefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The streets had grown quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only patrols and late-night travelers remained awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five practitioners separated and left the warehouse one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each carried a bundle beneath his cloak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first traveled north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third east.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder himself carried the final doll toward the heart of the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night air was cool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lanterns swayed gently beside empty roads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From distant temples came the faint sound of bells ringing during midnight prayers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the elder walked through the sleeping city, he couldn’t shake an uncomfortable feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingdom felt...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not physically. But spiritually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere he went, he sensed traces of blessings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small shrines maintained by ordinary citizens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Offerings left beside trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prayers whispered at crossroads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Temples filled with devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The land seemed wrapped in countless threads of faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, the practitioners reached their destinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the northern border, a doll was buried beneath an ancient banyan tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the south, another disappeared beneath a lonely hill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eastern and western dolls followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, near the center of the kingdom, the elder knelt beneath the shadow of an old peepal tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city remained silent around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carefully, he dug a small hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Placed the doll within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And covered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For several moments, nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder released a slow breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the operation would proceed smoothly after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—A wind suddenly swept through the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just enough to rustle leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Temple bells throughout the city rang at the same moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far away, the other practitioners paused as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An odd sensation passed through them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As though the kingdom itself had noticed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only for an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder slowly stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he was imagining things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as he walked back toward the warehouse, he found himself glancing over his shoulder more than once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because somewhere in the darkness, unseen by him, a pair of golden serpent eyes opened briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then disappeared again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*******************************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Author note:)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope you guys give me your opinion and idea’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-->\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t forget to review guys...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guys I have a new fic which named: Karuppan: King of Openings.\u003C\u002Fp>",2321,"2026-06-10T05:05:13.714Z",1,"novelbin.me","6f733eade3440c501ad929ff6193c4ebcc45f90dd3c333c50b6d88ed38ee53fe","mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-chapter-136","mahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-chapter-134",149,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmahabharat-shiva-s-last-variable-cover.jpg"]