Child of prophecy
Chapter 13
"But if the heritage of our academy is that old, then why isn't it famous after all these years? It must've produced powerful people too," Aksh asked curiously.
"Because the academy was founded just ten years ago." Arihant replied getting up. "Now, go back to your dorms. You need to wake up early tomorrow. It's going to be hectic from here on out. Here, take this—it'll help you."
He tossed something toward Aksh. Aksh caught it mid-air and unfolded it.
A map.
The map was very detailed. It showed not just the academy grounds but also the surrounding terrain—training zones, sealed-off areas, and a vast forest behind the academy named Shantivan. At the center of that was a building named The Dog House.
Aksh followed the map and reached The Dog House. It was quite a different building compared to the academy. It was a bungalow made entirely of black stone, and its roof was sculpted into the shape of a wild dog baring its teeth.
Aksh stepped forward and reached the entrance gate of the bungalow—it was a large double door. He raised his tiny hands and forced it open. The scene inside the bungalow was even weirder than the building itself.
The entire hall was a complete mess. It was total chaos. There were open food packets everywhere, empty bottles with some of the drink spilling out. At the center of the hall, a large dining table was lying inverted.
Tushar was devouring food with one hand while gulping down a drink with the other, like a man who hadn't seen a meal in weeks. Ayesha was pulling his ear nagging him to slow down. Avni was spinning around on her inverted hat drinking juice from a can. Meanwhile, Rudra was somehow sleeping peacefully on the inverted table as if nothing is happening. And following Avni trying to catch her, was a figure Aksh didn't recognize.
As the door opened, they stopped and looked at Aksh.
"Our final team member is here! Let's not stop the celebration!" Avni raised her hand and shouted, looking at him.
"What are we celebrating?" Aksh asked.
"It's because Shreya is finally cured and back on her feet!" Avni said, closing her eyes with excitement.
"So he's the team member you all were talking about," Shreya said, giving him an excited look. "Hello, I'm Shreya. I'm in the same year as Rudra. If you need help with anything, you can come to me."
"I'm Aksh," Aksh replied nonchalantly. Then, after a brief pause, he asked,
"Where should I sleep?"
"Sleep? We're not sleeping tonight! It's a double celebration—the arrival of a new team member and the return of an old one. No sleep tonight!" Avni shouted, spinning her hat around Aksh in circles.
"I don't like parties," Aksh replied firmly.
"Don't be a party pooper, Aksh. Here, drink this."
A massive hand landed on Aksh's shoulder, and before he could react, a bottle was shoved into his mouth. Aksh struggled to push it away, but after a few seconds, he realized it was pointless—so he just gulped it down.
Tushar laughed and said,
"So you do know when to give up. Good—just like that, drink it whole and don't spill a single drop. This stuff's good for you. It's called Whisperdew. It'll clear all your fatigue and ease your mind."
As Aksh drank the Whisperdew, he immediately began to feel its effects. The fatigue from the past chaotic days, the deep muscle cramps from all the running, slowly and completely washed away and a wave of refreshment flooded over him.
For a moment, everyone stopped.
"Hey guys, I—I think she's coming," Ayesha muttered, trembling.
In the pitch silence, there were faint footsteps echoed from outside the Dog House.
"We need to flee. Right now," Shreya said.
Everyone panicked and began running in different directions.
"What about Rudra?! We need to wake him!" Shreya called out.
"We don't have time for that. He was a good teammate. We'll always remember him. Some sacrifices are necessary, don't you think?" Tushar shouted, running while holding a plate of food in one hand and dragging a very confused Aksh with the other—without giving him a chance to speak.
"YO—YOU BASTARDS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE HERE?!"
A furious voice echoed from the entryway. It was Jasmine. Her hairs were turning up in fury and a black aura was surrounding her.
The entire hall was a complete disaster, and in the center of it was a single person. Rudra was sleeping peacefully on the upside-down table.
Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she slowly walked toward him.
Without a word, she slammed a fist into Rudra's gut. His eyes opened and saliva came out of his mouth.
"It's a... a devil! A devil from the Nihir army has come here!" Rudra shouted, staring at the horrifying figure in front of him.
"So, I'm a devil now, huh?" Jasmine said, cracking her knuckles with a sinister smile.
After that, for a while, the hall echoed with Rudra's screams, and sound of thud as if someone were beating a drum.
"At least... t-tell me... why I'm being beaten... before I die?" Rudra gasped out between blows.
"You still dare to ask? Look at the state of this hall! What have you done?!" Jasmine roared, still punching and kicking him.
Rudra, still dizzy from the assault, glanced around the wreckage. Open food packets, spilled drinks, overturned chairs, and the cursed upside-down table—it was pure chaos.
"I-I did that...? But... I was sleeping," Rudra muttered, totally confused.
"Is there anyone else here besides you?" Jasmine replied.
Rudra looked around. There wasn't a single soul in the entire hall. It was then he realized the bitter truth—his comrades, who had once promised to live and die together... had already chosen to abandon him as a necessary sacrifice.