Prince Aryaman set out to the border city along with Sanjaya, a trusted aide who had been a key player in the Battle of the Northern Mines. It had taken them an entire day on horseback to reach the border city. They had set out the previous night and when they reached the city, the sun had already set. Prince Aryaman slowed down his horse as he reached the city gates, he could see silhouettes of broken buildings beyond it. He got down from his horse and looked around to examine the surroundings. Sanjaya followed suit and lit up a couple of torches and handed one to the prince.

“What the heck has happened here?” Sanjaya said as he looked at the desolate and empty city lying in ruins.

A cold wind blew rustling the fallen leaves and sending a shiver down the two men at the rubles of the city gate.

“Who could have done this?” said Sanjaya as he stepped forward into the city. He brandished his torch like a sword as he moved forward.

“You coming, Your Highness?” he asked looking back.

Prince Aryaman stood still, rooted to the spot, lost in thoughts, with his hand rubbing his chin. The flame from the torch flickered near his face highlighting his deep contemplative eyes.

“Your Highness?” repeated Sanjaya.

“Sanjaya,” said Prince Aryaman looking at him. “Have a quick run through across the city and look for any surviving people. Meet me at the center of the city in a couple of hours.”

“Aye Your Highness!” saluted Sanjaya, he got on his horse and rode into the city.

Prince Aryaman walked to the rubble of the city gates, with Himmat, his horse by his side, who looked visibly uncomfortable walking in spooky-looking places. He examined the dried blood he had noticed earlier.

Blood but no bodies anywhere near, thought Prince Aryaman. Were the bodies moved or did they move themselves like it happened in the Northern Mines?!

Prince Aryaman looked around for any evidence of footprints going outward into the forest from the city. He went ahead and looked around for any signs of movement in the vicinity of the forest and the beginning of the forest. Not finding anything of use, he returned to the ruins of the city gates and entered the city.

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Someone or some people had attacked and killed the soldiers and city folk, thought Prince Aryaman. But the bodies just disappeared. If the bodies had indeed turned into the undead, they either are inside the city or have escaped from other entrances.

Prince Aryaman then proceeded to walk along the perimeters of the city wall and searched all the entrances for any signs of outbreak outward. Having found none, he slowly walked towards the center of the city. The wind at times made shrill noises as it blew through fallen buildings. As Prince Aryaman walked admist the ruins, he noticed the vines that had crept over the debris of the fallen city. He touched a vine and felt it’s rough surface.

Vines spreading across the fallen buildings, thought Prince Aryaman. Are forest spirits involved?!

As Aryaman walked further into the city, he noticed ash, soot and charred remnants in some places.

Fire? Aryaman thought. Did the fire burn the bodies? This doesn’t confirm whether the undead rose here or not.

Aryaman finally arrived at the center of the city and found the spot where the pillar of green fire arose some days back. It had left charred ground in its wake with imprints of the flames on the ground. Aryaman stooped to have a better look at him.

He heard the sound of Sanjaya’s horse reaching the place.

“This is unbelievable!” said Sanjaya alighting his horse. “Not a single soul dead or alive anywhere! It’s a ghost city!”

Aryaman continued his examination of the marks on the ground and found a half-charred wooden mask inside a pile of ash. He dusted the ask off the mask and inspected the mask.

The Kapala Mask?! Prince Aryaman thought, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Did you find something, Your Highness?” asked Sanjaya coming nearer.

Prince Aryaman got up and showed the half-burnt mask to Sanjaya.

“The Kapala Army?” asked Sanjaya in shock. “Didn’t we capture them all?”

“The Chief of the Kapala Army escaped that day,” said Prince Aryaman recollecting how he was attacked by a ball of fire by the Kapala Chief.

Could the Kapala Chief be a yaksha? Did he cause this horror? Aryaman thought, pondering the possibility. It explained the supernatural powers. However, Aryaman kept his assumptions to himself. He didn’t want to put any unfounded theories into his subordinate’s mind.

“He could have perished for all we know,” said Sanjaya looking around.

“Hmm,” said Prince Aryaman. “Where’s the nearest settlement to this city?”

“There’s a village south of this place in a couple of yojanas,” said Sanjaya. “I used to routinely visit it when I was on border patrol duty.”

“Let’s head there and ask around,” said Prince Aryaman. “Maybe we’ll find some more clues.”

“Aye Your Highness,” said Sanjaya.

Both alighted their horses and headed towards the nearby village south of the border city.