Bāhubali 3 : The After Math

Before the Disease Kills

I was devastated. "Avanthika! W-what are you saying?!"

"Yes Bāhu, I have been having an illness from the time I went to Nayapalli." She sobbed louder. "I feel like it's eating me from the inside. I feel like I am going to die!".

I couldn't take her words in. There was only one thing I could do. Call the doctor.

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Mahendra Bāhubali called me to the palace. I was the royal doctor, who treats everyone from the royal family. I rushed to the place gasping for breath when I reached there. The guards took me into a room. Outside the doors were people crowded where Bāhu and Avanthika explained everything to me.

It didn't seem natural. No signs of physical scars. Only sudden headaches, sensation of getting pierced by needles and sometimes getting stabbed by swords, blackouts and breathlessness.

Avanthika also explained that she hid this because she didn't want anyone to worry about her or her health.

I stuttered. "I'm afraid to say that I cannot treat this condition."

Bāhu's eyebrows dropped.

"But hey! There's always hope! Why don't you go and visit the wizard in the forest?!

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I knew it wouldn't work... But I decided to give it a try. Avanthika, me and Kattappa, and some guards went down the forest in search of the wizard. We searched and searched. It was almost dark. In the distance I saw a light flickering. I went towards it and so did the others. And surprisingly, it was a small hut. We cautiously entered the hut. It was the wizard! Stirring up stuff in a big pot.

She noticed us. "You! How dare you enter my house!"

I shrieked. I saw her face. She was a woman. A woman dressed completely black with a hood. "No no no! We came here for help!"

"What kind of royals would like help from me!"

I explained the matter. She calmed down. The guards and Kattappa were waiting outside.

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The wizard thought for a second. "This is sorcery! It's magic! Someone is doing witchcraft on her! Someone cursed her!"

Avanthika looked shocked. "Why would anyone curse me?!" She yelled.

"Revenge maybe. Or maybe they hate you"

"I'm a good person" screeched Avanthika.

"Who knows! Now go find them and stop this before they take your life!" She pointed south and yelled "The negative energy is coming from that direction! South!".

Bāhu was frozen in doubts.

The wizard sighed. "What are you waiting for! GO!"

Bāhu stood up and rushed out.

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They didn't even wait till the next day. It was just before dawn as Devasena stood at the palace gates watching Bāhubali along with the others leave and disappear into the horizon.

Bāhu led the troop with Avanthika and Kattappa behind him on their horses followed by a army of a hundred, servants, and a few cages with birds just incase they had to send a message to Māhishmathi.

They stopped at a nowhere. Bāhu and Kattappa got down. He said "Check the directions again Kattappa." and Kattappa took a needle, rubbed it on a cloth and plucked a leaf from the only tiny plant they had seen from when they entered this area. He then took a small pot and filled it with water and put it on the ground. After that he gently placed the leaf in the water and balanced the needle on it. The contraption slowly moved and the needle turned and pointed the opposite direction they were going "Bāhubali, we are going the right way. The needle pointed at North, so we are going South.

They got back onto their horses and left. Avanthika felt sick on their way but she went on. They travelled for days and days, investigated everyone they saw on the way, even though seeing people there was extremely rare. They didn't give up. And never will.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey guys! Sorry for sooo many author notes. Just figured out that I have been spelling fiancee wrong.
Aaaaand my school started and I'm super busy; and even my parents don't want me touching my phone a lot, so once again, I have to change update timings...😅 Every Mondays and Fridays!

Also thanks a lot for the support! I didn't tell my family yet, cuz I wanted to surprise them after getting loooots of reads, but I did tell my mom though, and she was proud... After all 1.3K is not a small number, and this is all because of you guys! THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH.