Kurukshetra Prairie V

Kurukshetra Prairie V (also known as Page 38: A Heart-Wrenching Duel and Page 39: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow...) is the fifth checkpoint in Kurukshetra Prairie.
==Dialogue==
===Start===
Vermilion
: "Look over there... There is a large crowd of people running away... and I can make out a strange figure... chasing after them and shouting!"
Rama
: "That's... General Mahakala! No! Wh-what are you doing? Those are OUR soldiers!" Rama recognizes the general and rushes forward, trying to stop him from attacking his own men.
Kingdom Soldier
: "Your Highness! You mustn't go! General Mahakala's gone mad!" Some of the soldiers fleeing the scene recognize Rama and attempt to dissuade him from pursuing the general.
Rama
: "Tell me what happened! How did General Mahakala become so crazed?!"
Kingdom Soldier
: "Your Highness, we were on a mission to break into the army base of the Demon King; General Mahakala engaged the enemy commander in combat during the ambush, quickly disposing of him. However, he was cursed in the process somehow—some witchcraft or black magic, no doubt—and he went insane."
Mahakala
: "Come at me, all of you! Come and die like men!" Interrupting the soldier's hasty explanation, Mahakala catches up with the group and charges at them with a manic glint in his eyes.
Rama
: "General Mahakala, stop! It's me! Don't you recognize me?" Rama parries Mahakala's blows as he tries to think of a way to lift the curse.
Mahakala
: "Must... kill... must... KILL...!!" Mahakala clearly fails to recognize the prince, and he continues attacking in a blind frenzy.
Vermilion
: "Stop! This is your friend! He is trying to help you!" Vermilion rushes forward and resolutely stands between them, urging Mahakala to lower his weapon.
===Against <Stormbringer> Vayu===
===Finish===
Vermilion
: "Rama is my friend, too, and I will not let you hurt him!" Vermilion delivers Mahakala an impeccable blow, finally succeeding in forcing the general to relent.
Mahakala
: "No, no, no... Must... must... kill them all... the Demon King's army... Protect our country from the enemy... Protect Kosala..." Even after lowering his weapon, Mahakala still mutters hysterically to himself.
Rama
: "General Mahakala, that's enough. You are not yourself. Drop your weapon and come with me; I will make sure you get the treatment you need." As Mahakala appears to calm down, Rama slowly approaches him, tentatively reaching out his hand.
Mahakala
: "Must... kill... must... KILL...!! Kill the enemy!" Mahakala suddenly loses control again and lashes out at a stunned and defenseless Rama.
Rama
: "Wait! Stop!" Before Rama can move, however, Mahakala suddenly jerks backward and falls to the ground, the shaft of an arrow protruding from his back.
Mahakala
: "Urgh..."
Ajurna
: "Your Highness! Are you alright?!" Ajurna lowers his bow and arrow and rushes toward them, his troops following suit.
Mahakala
: "Prince... Rama? Your Highness, is that you?" Having suffered a mortal blow, Mahakala appears to have regained his sanity.
Rama
: "General Mahakala! Thank goodness you're still alive! Do you recognize me now?" Rama checks the general over, swiftly taking out some bandages from his kit and applying them to Mahakala's wound.
Mahakala
: "Your Highness, please stop... It is impossible to help me now... I cannot recover from this." Mahakala clutches Rama's hand in a tight grip, motioning for him to stop dressing his injury.
: "It is an honor and a privilege to sacrifice myself for the sake of Kosala... My only regret is having been cursed in my final moments, so that my last actions on this earth... hurt my own men, my comrades in arms."
: "I never regret fighting in your name, Prince Rama, for you are the best prince that Kosala has ever had, and to this day, you have always been my closest and dearest friend." Upon uttering these last words, Mahakala breathes a great sigh and suddenly falls silent.
Rama
: "No! My dear friend... I'm so sorry... I was too late to save you... I have failed you." Rama rocks back and forth in grief, profusely apologizing and clutching Mahakala's hand in his own, but the general can no longer hear him.
Ajurna
: "Your Highness, this is a great loss for you and for us all. We are all truly sorry to witness the passing of the great General Mahakala. We have conquered the rest of the Demon King's armed forces. What do you propose we do now? We humbly await your orders."
Rama
: "I shall journey to the north. I must turn all my energy toward rescuing my wife, Theda, and bringing her home. I leave Kosala's defenses in your capable hands."
Ajurna
: "Yes, Your Highness. Your wish is my command."
==Navigation==
Category:Gaia Chronicle Checkpoints
Category:Kurukshetra Prairie