Rewari kingdom, Khera vilge , Night of 8th march 1557

  Aditya, Bheem, and Meenakshi stood at the vilge square, their gazes fixed on the horrifying scene unfolding before them. The vilge was engulfed in fmes, with fire consuming the huts and casting a ghostly glow over the chaos.

  Thick smoke billowed into the sky, mingling with the desperate cries of panicked vilgers and the frantic sounds of distressed cattle and horses. People fled through the streets, their faces etched with terror, while soldiers, with their uniforms and armor only partially donned, tried hard valiantly to control the spreading fires.

  Meenakshi's face turned pale as she witnessed the once peaceful vilge engulfed in fmes. Although the immediate threat to people seemed minimal, the devastating loss of property weighed heavily on her heart. The grim realization of an approaching unknown enemy only added to her worry.

  She turned to Aditya with concern. "What do we do now?"

  Aditya felt a surge of reassurance at her calm demeanor. In the midst of such chaos, her composure and willingness to discuss their next steps without any sign of panic or compints about the security situation were a comfort. He replied, "We need to regain control of the situation. But I need you near by to help with any further pns."

  Meenakshi nodded in understanding, and Aditya turned to Bheem, giving him a directive to coordinate with the soldiers to put out the fire first and then establish a secure area for everyone to gather.

  As Bheem moved to carry out the orders, Aditya's gaze swept over the scene. It seemed the vilge caught fire from the edge away from the eyes of the guards, as the security, even though x, was tight at the center near the vilge square.

  The only good thing he could count on was that the fire hadn't spread to the whole vilge but had almost engulfed the eastern half while still spreading nearby. The water fetched from the well is still able to douse it, and eventually, it might get subdued. So, the purpose of putting out the fire felt out of pce.

  A grim realization dawned on him as he considered the enemy's possible pn and the most effective way they might attack. His frustration grew with the passing time as he struggled to gather more information before devising a counter-strategy. Just as he began to formute a pn, Havildar Brijesh emerged from the smoke, dragging two women behind him.

  His soldiers fnked him, their swords drawn and faces grim as they dragged the women, bound and with their clothes ragged and torn. From their appearance, it was clear that the situation was more complex than it initially seemed.

  Brijesh roughly threw the women to the ground at Aditya's feet, pointing his sword threateningly over their necks. . "Your highness, These are the ones we caught torching the huts," he said with a voice full of disdain.

  Aditya's eyes bzed with fury. He dug his sword and knelt down and leaned forward, his face just inches from the women's terror-stricken expressions.

  'Sp!'

  'Sp!'

  With a swift, brutal motion, he spped both women hard across their faces. They recoiled, crying out in pain, but Aditya gripped their chins, forcing them to look up at him.

  "Look at what you've done!" he shouted with rage, tilting their heads toward the people assembling at a safe distance, their faces etched with fear. "There are elderly, women, even children among them. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"

  The women cried, tears streaming down their faces. They sobbed and pleaded for mercy, but their cries were drowned out by the roar of the fmes and the chaos surrounding them.

  But, Aditya's expression remained cold and devoid of emotions. He leaned in closer as he whispered in chilling tone. "Tell me everything or I swear you'll be the first to burn in these fmes."

  His eyes were dark with an intimidating intensity, betraying no hint of sympathy.

  Feeling pressured both women spoke emptying their bowl, and as their words unfolded, a grim revetion settled over the crowd.

  Few hundred meters away

  In the dense shadows of the forest, a few hundred meters away from Khera vilge, two military commanders observed the fiery destruction with a grim sense of satisfaction. The vilge was engulfed in fmes, casting an eerie, hellish glow through the trees.

  Ranjit Rao, the commanding leader of the standard cavalry, and Varun Khatri, the head of the mercenary cavalry, surveyed the scene with a mixture of eagerness and anticipation.

  Varun's eyes sparkled with dark excitement as he watched the chaos unfold. "Looks like everything's going just as we pnned. This is going to be a sughter," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

  Ranjit's gaze remained steady on the burning vilge. "It was expected. But from here, the real work begins."

  Varun raised an eyebrow and turned to Ranjit. "Shouldn't we charge now? The vilge is in chaos, and their army would be disorganized."

  Ranjit, coldly observing the scene, replied, "The fire is still high; we need them to control it first."

  Varun smirked. "You're quite the strategist, but I suggest not to dwell much on it. We can still maneuver from the western entrance and drive them toward the fmes. Even if they sense what's coming, they won't be able to stop us."

  "Our goal isn't just to create chaos and win. It's to ensure the prince's death. If we charge now, he might escape. So, shut your nonsense and wait for my command," Ranjit expined coldly.

  Varun's restlessness was evident. "So, what do we do with the 500 men stationed outside? Just wait?"

  Ranjit's tone held a hint of disdain. "It's 300 with your men. I'll lead my own forces. The rest will stay here."

  Varun scoffed, frustration clear. "What's the point of having reinforcements if they're not used? I could have handled this alone."

  Ranjit, unfazed by Varun's agitation, responded with icy menace. "Don't worry. You'll have your chance to shed blood and earn double the payment, including a pardon for all your crimes."

  Varun's scowl softened slightly at the prospect of more bloodshed and reward. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "And what about the captured civilians?"

  Ranjit's eyes narrowed as he gave his cold, uncompromising order. "Keep no evidence."

  An unsettling grin spread across Varun's face as he reveled in the brutality of the task. "That's why I like doing business with you."

  Just then, a soldier hurriedly approached, breathless and anxious. "Hazur, there's movement on the western side of the vilge."

  Ranjit's expression hardened as he noted that the fmes had neither lessened nor been subdued, indicating that the situation has turned rather than anticipated. He stayed calm recognizing that it was still manageable.

  Turning to Varun with a commanding tone, he ordered, "Prepare your men. It seems not everything is going as pnned."

  Varun grinned wickedly and moved off to rally his troops, eager to join the unfolding chaos. Ranjit remained in the shadows, his mind already calcuting the next steps in their deadly pn.

  Meanwhile in western entrance of vilge

  Aditya lead the hollow square formation of 100 elite guards under the command of havildar Brijesh on the open field to the west of the vilge.

  He had strategically decided to abandon the vilge, recognizing that staying there with disorganized formations risked his ability to provide a proper front against the enemy's cavalry. The fmes and chaos within the vilge only heightened the urgency and he didn't wanted to py in the palms of enemy.

  By retreating to the open ground, Aditya aimed to lure the enemy into a more manageable battleground. It was a gamble, but it was their only chance. To better manage the panicked vilgers and to act as bait, he joined the ranks of the crossbowmen, hoping to efficiently use formation outside the vilge where the fmes had not yet reached.

  Inside the hollow square, 160 terrified vilgers: women, the elderly, and children, all huddled together, protected by the soldiers and shield-bearers forming a defensive perimeter. Though the formation wasn't as tight as Brijesh would have preferred, it still provided some level of safety as anticipated by Aditya.

  The infantry, while not fully armored, wore essential gear: shields, swords, gloves, and boots. The repeating 50 crossbowmen formed the second line of defense, their weapons ready. The hastily assembled 40 militia made up the third line, equipped with extra shields and positioned to defend as needed. The gap among them was significant but still their presence assuring.

  And just as expected, the impatient enemy cavalry emerged from the southern side of the forest. Aditya narrowed his eyes as he assessed the group that appeared. Something felt amiss as it didn't match as per the information. They looked like bandit mercenaries with no proper order, but dangerous enough to overrun them if not tackled properly. Still, he didn't panic, as he had his own cards ready.

  Varun Khatri spurred his horse forward, his voice a manic roar. "Charge! Sughter! Hunt to your heart's content!"

  As the enemy cavalry closed in, tension escated. Brijesh shouted orders to his men, striving to maintain the formation. "Shield wall! Don't let them pass!"

  Sweating and anxiously looking for Aditya's response, Brijesh turned to him.

  When the enemy was within 200 meters, Aditya gave the command. "Now!"

  Brijesh immediately ordered, "Commence column formation. Bring up the rear lines!"

  With precise coordination, the rear line of defenders moved forward to reinforce the front lines, creating a more compact and resilient formation. However, the formation was compromised as it only covered three fnks, exposing the fourth side at rear.

  At Aditya's signal, the soldiers stretched out, allowing the militia to join the ranks of the shield wall. They barely managed to fill and cover the exposed fnk, maintaining the hollow square.

  To exert additional pressure on the enemy cavalry, Aditya decided to reposition all the crossbowmen. He ordered them to move up and join the third and fourth columns, positioning them directly in the line of sight of the advancing cavalry.

  Varun Khatri, seeing the maneuver, chuckled with confidence. He believed he could pierce their defenses and maneuver around them if needed. Whipping his horse, he urged his men forward, eager for the carnage to come.

  To his surprise, as the enemy cavalry closed within 50 meters, a relentless barrage of arrows rained down upon them.

  Some arrows struck their targets in the nose or eyes, while others pierced the open mouths of those who had shouted and tried to intimidate the enemy. With little defense, the arrows easily hit the unsuspecting light cavalry.

  The disciplined fire of the repeating crossbows, unleashed from a stretched line, disrupted their formation. Even the horses were not spared, colpsing to the ground and causing chaos among those following behind.

  By the time the enemy cavalry reached the hollow square, their charge couldn't bring much impact to the shield wall . The shield wall infantry, ready and waiting, took advantage of the disarray, impaling the disorganized cavalry through the gaps in their formation with their swords.

  Varun, frustrated, ordered his men to encircle the formation, but his command soon proved to be a grave blunder. The thunder of hooves echoed again, but this time it was not their allies coming to their aid.

  Instead, it was the enemy's forces, emerging from hidden alleys within the vilge. They attacked the fnk of the mercenary cavalry, which had already lost its momentum and now found itself vulnerable to the new charge. These new attackers, gleaming in full armor and brandishing proper nces, were a formidable sight.

  Varun cursed hard, "Motherfuckers!"