Introduction: Origin
Finding Revenge
Ashwatthama is the son of Drona and Kripi. He was born with a jewel on his forehead that granted him powers, super strength, speed, and self-healing. Drona was one of the greatest chiefs and commanders. Ashwatthama looked up to his father. As he grew up, he became a great warrior under his father's wisdom and virtue. He learned the art of combat from the very best.
Drona was undefeated in warfare. He fought every fight in the name of his son with his love running through his veins. He loved his son more than anything in the realm. However, this also made it Drona's only one weakness.
The Pandava family, one of Drona's biggest enemies who had once been his allies and friends, hatched a plan to take down the undefeated. Led by Bhima Pandava, the Pandava brothers were able to fool Drona into thinking his son had died, which weakened him. They successfully tricked Drona, who fell to the ground in complete despair. Drona was completely broken and could not comprehend any thoughts. At this exact moment when Drona was completely off guard, Bhima slit Drona's throat decapitating his head.
Ashwatthama filled with rage and darkness upon learning the news. He inherited his father's most valuable weapon, the Narayanastra. From that moment on, Ashwatthama would call this weapon the Drona.
"I will avenge you, father," he said as darkness and wrath filled his heart.
Ashwatthama grabbed the Drona weapon and ran into the Pandava camp. He started slaughtering anyone who halted him. With blood flooding the ground and bones broken to pieces, Ashwatthama did not show mercy. The Pandava warriors outnumbered Ashwatthama. An image of his father appeared in his mind filling him with rage. Ashwatthama plucked the jewel from his forehead and placed it on the center of his Drona which caused the weapon to start shooting thousands of missiles in all directions, weakening all the Pandava warriors. At this time, he started decapitating each of the Pandava brothers, and finally he had Bhima's head, ending the massacre. That night, hundreds of civilians including children and women died. As Ashwatthama looked at the lives he took, he felt empty.
Ashwatthama was prepared to meet his father after all he had done when a woman appeared behind him. She revealed herself as a blood witch and started tormenting Ashwatthama for the deaths he has caused but all Ashwatthama wanted was to die. Seeing this, the witch called upon the gods and cursed Ashwatthama with immortality. Ashwatthama lived on every day for the rest of eternity with guilt, pain, and the darkness that consumed him.
Author's note: Ashwatthama is one of the most unforgettable characters in Indian epics. He committed one of the most devastating and brutal actions. I kept the general theme of the original Mahabharata true in this version including the father-son relationship. The Narayanastra originally belonged to Lord Vishnu. I integrated the weapon earlier on in my story so that Ashwatthama could have something that reminded him of his father, especially since he became immortal. In the original story, Ashwatthama was cursed by Krishna. I changed this and added my own spin by changing into a blood witch. I also added that Ashwatthama wanted to meet his father as he had realized what he has done. I did this to make Ashwatthama a little more humane and compassionate (just a little bit). As punishment, I felt the immortality curse was fitting as he has to live on with what he has done forever.
Bibliography. "Mahabharata" Public Domain Edition by Laura Gibbs. Web Source.