JALTI HUI RAAT
Gaon ki mitti mein dhuen ki khushboo thi, lekin aaj wo khushboo maut jaisi lag rahi thi.
Arjun 17 saal ka tha patla maila kurta pehna hua, hath mein lakadi ka danda. Wo
nadi ke kinare baitha ladkiyan jod raha tha j jab door se ghode ki tapak sunai di. Dhool ka badal ka badal aage badh raha tha _ Samrat Vikramaditya ke laal kavach wale sipahi.
" Wohi ladka hai! Agni vansh ka khoon!" ek sipahi chillaya.
Gaon Wale pahle se hi Arjun se door rehte the. Bachpan mein uske ghar mein aag lagi. Us raat uske maa-baap dono jal gaye the, aur Arjun sirf jhulas kar Bach Gaya tha. Tab se log kehte the, "Is ladke ke ander aag rehti hai. Ye badshagun hai."
Arjun bhaga. Usne socha jhopdi mein chhup jaayega, lekin sipahiyon ne ghar ko gher liya aur mashaal phenk di.
Jhopdi ek pal mein aag ka golar ban gayi.
Arjun andar fans gaya. Dhuen se saans lena mushkil ho raha tha, aankhen jalan kar rahi thi. Usne darwaza dhakela _ bahar teen sipahi talwar lekar khade the.
"Bahat nikal, aag ka keeda," ek ne kaha aur talwar utha li.
Arjun ke dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi. Uske haathon mein paseena aa gaya… aur phir kuch ajeeb hua.
Uske hatheli se *laal shola* phoot pada.
Shola seedha sipahi ke seene par laga. Aadmi cheekh mara aur zameen par gir kar raakh ho gaya. Dusra sipahi hamla karne aaya - Arjun ka dusra haath uthaa, aur aag ki lehar nikal kar usko bhi jala gayi.
Arjun khud bhi hairan tha. Ye usne kabhi nahi kiya tha.
Teesra sipahi peeche hata, "Ye… ye Agni Vansh hai! Bhago!"
Lekin tab tak aag poore aangan ko lapet chuki thi. Arjun ke shareer se garmi nikal rahi thi jaise uske andar koi bhatti jal rahi ho. Uske kaan mein ek bhari awaaz goonji:
*"Waris.. tumhara samay aa gaya."*
Arjun ghutnon ke bal gir gaya. Aag uske haathon se nikal rahi thi, lekin dard nahi ho raha tha. Ulta, ek ajeeb si taakat uske rag-rag mein daud rahi thi.
Jab aag thandi hui, gaon ka aadha hissa jal chuka tha. Sipahi mar chuke the. Arjun ke haath par ek nishan chamak raha tha _aag ka ek chhota sa *prateek*, jaise kisi purani mohar.
Us raat Meera aayi.
Meera 16 saal ki thi, neeli aankhen, paani ka element. Wo gaon ki vaidya ki beti thi. Jab usne Arjun ko dekha, uski aankhen phail gayin.
"Tu.. tu Agni Vansh ka hai," usne dheere se kaha.
Arjun ne sir hilaaya. "Mujhe nahi pata tha. Main… main sirf bachna chahta tha."
Meera ne uske haath par bane nishan ko chhua. Thandi lehar Arjun ke shareer mein daud gayi aur aag thodi shaant hui.
"Sun," Meera boli, "500 saal pehle Samrat Vikramaditya ne Agni Vansh ko khatam kar diya tha kyunki unki aag kisi bhi dusri shakti ko jala sakti thi. Kehte hain vansh ka akhri waris jab jagta hai, to *aag ka danav* bhi jaagta hai."
Arjun ka gala sookh gaya. "Danav?"
"Haan. Har baar jab tu aag use karega, wo danav thoda aur azad hoga. Agar tu usko control na kar paya, to aag tujhe hi kha jaayegi."
Arjun ne muthi bhainch li. Uske andar gussa tha - us ghar ke liye, maa-baap ke liye, un logon ke liye jinhone usse badshagun kaha.
"Main bhagna nahi chahta," usne kaha. "Main is aag ko apna banaunga. Aur Vikramaditya se badla lunga.
Meera ne uski taraf dekha, thodi dar ke saath thodi ummeed ke saath. "Toh kal subah hum nikalte hain. Pehle tujhe aag ka pehla star seekhna hoga - *Laal Jwala*."
Arjun ne aasmaan ki taraf dekha. Aag abhi bhi uske haath mein chamak rahi thi.
Usne dheere se kaha, "Main Arjun hoon."*AAG KA WARIS*."