In the Valley — The First Clash
By dawn, the valley was a living, breathing creature of steel and dust. Jagged cliffs rose like the jaws of an ancient beast on either side. Bahubali stood at its mouth, flanked by Devasena and Kattappa. His warriors waited behind him, bows strung, blades drawn, eyes sharp.
A cold wind swept down the pass, carrying the scent of rain and the promise of blood.
Bahubali raised his sword high, its edge catching the first rays of the morning sun. "Remember," he shouted, his voice echoing between the cliffs, "we are not merely defending a kingdom. We are defending the soul of our people!"
A cry rose behind him — one that shook the valley walls and sent birds fleeing from the treetops.
Then they saw them.
Bhallaladeva's black tide surged forward, shimmering like an oil slick, spears and shields glinting in the dawn. At its center, the king himself charged, mounted on a massive armored war elephant. His dragon-shaped helmet glowed crimson under the sunrise.
Bahubali inhaled deeply, the world narrowing to the beat of his heart. With one swift motion, he pointed his blade forward.
"Loose!"
A thousand arrows soared, darkening the sky for a moment before raining down upon Bhallaladeva's vanguard.
The first line of soldiers staggered, fell, but more came. Relentless.
Devasena moved like lightning, her arrows flying two at a time, each one finding its mark. Kattappa roared orders, rallying men to hold the line where it buckled.
Clashes of metal on metal exploded across the pass. Soldiers screamed. Horses reared and fell. The earth turned slick with blood.
Through the chaos, Bahubali pushed forward, cutting a path toward Bhallaladeva.
The Beast Returns
Suddenly, a deeper rumble split the battlefield — not drums, not horns, but something primal, feral.
The cliffs trembled as the second beast emerged, black hide gleaming, tusks soaked in old blood. It charged through Bhallaladeva's own ranks, ignoring friend and foe alike.
Bhallaladeva turned, eyes wide for the first time in years.
The creature lunged toward him, and he swung his blade desperately, cutting into its flank. The beast howled, its roar shaking the valley floor.
Bahubali saw his moment.
With a final push, he surged forward, crashing into Bhallaladeva just as the beast turned on both of them.
Steel clashed against steel.
The Brothers' Final Battle
Their swords met, sparks lighting the space between them like falling stars. Bhallaladeva's strength was monstrous, driven by hate and fury. Bahubali met each blow, feet planted firmly as if rooted to the earth itself.
"You should have stayed dead!" Bhallaladeva roared, spit flying from his lips.
"I live because they believe in me!" Bahubali answered, his voice steady, cutting through the noise.
Bhallaladeva pushed forward, the beast circling them, confused and enraged. Steel scraped across Bahubali's arm, blood staining his armor.
Devasena, seeing the struggle, raised her bow, but the beast lunged at her, forcing her to roll aside.
Kattappa rushed in to distract the creature, swinging his curved blade with desperate precision.
The Final Blow
Bahubali deflected Bhallaladeva's next strike and twisted, stepping in close. With one clean motion, he drove his sword through his brother's side.
Bhallaladeva gasped, eyes going wide.
"You... cannot... erase me," he choked, blood bubbling from his lips.
Bahubali held his gaze, eyes filled with grief and finality. "But I can end the darkness you brought."
With a final push, he withdrew the blade. Bhallaladeva fell to his knees, eyes still burning with fading rage. The beast, sensing its master's fall, shrieked and charged.
Bahubali turned, sword ready, but Kattappa leapt between them, striking the creature across the eyes. The beast reared back, staggered, and fell from the cliff, crashing into the rocks below in a monstrous final scream.
Aftermath
The valley fell silent.
Bhallaladeva lay motionless, his blood seeping into the earth he once vowed to rule forever.
Bahubali stood over him, shoulders heaving, sword dripping. Around them, Mahishmati's black army faltered, weapons dropping to the ground, soldiers fleeing into the forest.
Devasena limped to Bahubali's side. She rested a trembling hand on his arm, her eyes misty but unyielding.
Kattappa approached, bloodied but alive, his eyes reflecting both pride and sorrow.
"For Amahendra," Bahubali whispered.
"For Mahishmati," Devasena added.
"For freedom," Kattappa finished, his voice breaking.
And above them, as if blessing the dawn of a new age, the first rays of pure, golden sunlight flooded the valley.