Karna and his Brothers in an Alternate Universe

The final leap across the line

In absolutely the wrong moment, Karna noticed that he had his father's eyes. Through Abhimanyu's glazed but defiant gaze, Karna saw Arjun's gaze when he got to know his son was dead. Karna saw the way Arjun would look at him when he got to know it was he who had rendered his son weaponless, it was he who had delivered the final blow.

Nobody would slip up and call him big brother again. His family would never again make allowances for his past mistakes.

And this child... This brave warrior in the body of a seventeen year old child... This masterful archer, who had yet not given up, though he was surrounded by oceans of enemy and was bleeding so much it was a wonder he was still conscious... How could he kill this child?

My nephew. Arjun's son. 

Abhimanyu was a mirror to both of them. In the essence of the word archer, Abhimanyu made both of them swell with pride.

Nobody harms my nephew within my sight, thought Karna fiercely. Not my army, not even my best friend.

*****************

Karna lowered his bow, automatically looking around for Duryodhan. He had to see Duryodhan, take his approval.

"Careful, Karna!" cried Duryodhan's disembodied voice, terrified in a way it was not often.

Driven to panic, Karna whirled around. Abhimanyu had raised the wheel again, though it was incomprehensible how he still had the strength, and made to hurl it at Karna's head.

At the last minute, he changed the trajectory; it hit Karna's knee instead of head and finally fell to the ground.

Abhimanyu blinked at his empty hands, like he didn't quite understand what had happened. Going whiter than ever with the realization of the opportunity squandered, he raised his bare hands now, but Karna caught them and lowered them gently--they didn't provide much resistance. They trembled as they went down.

Karna looked into his eyes. There was finally a flash of fear in them--the animal instinct of humans for survival. But that flash was buried deep beneath the resilience.

The boy, just like his father--and, Karna liked to think, his uncle--would never go down begging.

"It's all right, child," Karna whispered. "Just stay conscious."

Sparked into horror at the words, Abhimanyu struggled to free himself. Karna gathered up his bleeding, powerless body in his arms and sprinted for his chariot. Slowly, Abhimanyu's flailing got weaker as he fell into stupour.

"Sarathi," Karna gasped, without looking around to see his companions' reaction, and instead pointing in a direction the vyuh showed an opening. "Full steam ahead."

"King of Anga!"

"Karna, what--?"

"What--where are you going?"

Karna kept his head lowered as his chariot charged past and exited the centre of the vyuh. The air was thick with the metallic smell of blood, all spilled from the youthful body in his arms that was not struggling anymore.

The limp head resting against his chest brought uninvited tears to Karna's eyes.

Shaking, he felt Abhimanyu's pulse.

It was okay. Strong enough. Nothing his uncles' healing would not cure. But how on earth was he going to find Nakul and Sahadev in this melee?

*****************

War cries from behind announced Shakuni and Aswatthama and maybe a hundred other soldiers hot on their trail.

Karna's chest twisted as he thought of Duryodhan. But for once, he pushed the thought away. He could do only one of the two things: return to pacify his friend or save his nephew's life.

He hated betraying his friend's trust, but... 

He could not let his nephew die.

"Faster," he urged on his charioteer and horses. "Faster!"

****************

After a haze of confusion and chaos and goodness knew how long, they exited the final layer of the Chakravyuh. Since most of the Kaurava soldiers were hidden in the depths of the vyuh, Karna felt lightheaded with relief--they had gotten past the threats, now he just needed to get hold of either of the twins...

A tall chariot drawn by white horses blocked the way. The flag of Hanuman at its apex fluttered in the air.

Karna was so drained with worry that it took him several moments to zero in upon the charioteer.

It was Vasudev. 

*****************

"LEAVE HIM," screamed Arjun, his voice torn open. "LET HIM GO THIS INSTANT, KING OF ANGA, OR I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SLAY YOU."

Karna desperately looked back at his own comrades pursuing them. Arjun loomed in front, blocking the way with his Gandiva poised, his face bloodless.

"I DO NOT CARE IF WE ARE EACH OTHER'S BLOOD, IF YOU DO NOT LET MY SON GO, I--"

"Shoot!" screamed Shikandi from somewhere behind. "Shoot him, Arjun, he does not possess a weapon--"

Karna urged his chariot forwards, not daring to let Abhimanyu's limp body go.

"Clear the way, Arjun," he shouted, sending another panicked glance behind. 

Aswatthama and Shakuni were now visible on their trail, fighting through the second from outermost layer of the vyuh.

"Arjun--MOVE--YOUR--CHARIOT."

Krishna was silent. Arjun lowered the Gandiva, beginning to sob.

He too, it appeared, had just realized the futility of trying to kill your blood, like Karna had half an hour back.

"King of Anga, please," he said, choked and strangled. "Please let my son go. F-face me instead."

"Get out of the way, you fool, I'm not--"

"Big brother, please!"

"I AM NOT HURTING HIM, FOR GOD'S SAKE," roared Karna. "Vasudev, will you please get the chariot out of the way if you do not want your nephew killed by the King of Gandhar?"

Arjun gazed at Krishna through a haze of tears.

"Your decision," said Krishna. "Do you trust the King of Anga, Parth?"

Arjun looked at Abhimanyu clasped in Karna's arms and then met Karna's eyes.

"Let him pass, Madhav."

Krishna swerved the chariot; Arjun raised his weapons to hold off Shakuni, Aswatthama and Dussashan as Karna disappeared with Abhimanyu in a cloud of dust.

*****************

A/N: Mishu_Rocks and Trinayani_3010 Since you two asked why Abhi needs to die in an alternate universe, I never intended to kill Abhi🌚. Abhimanyu is our Arjun's baby boy, he is our precious baby boy (no offence to your great prowess as a warrior, Abhi, but you will always be a child to us), how can I possibly kill him in my alternate universe?