The members of the Rudra-Yuga, all possess keen abilities. Abilities, they boast they were granted by the most fearsome of Gods. Almost all of them have unique skillsets. The self-proclaimed Queen of this dark age was the first – according to me – to enter the junction. She was also – probably – the only one who escaped. Perhaps that's why she doesn't possess any of the more unique weapons.
-SEAN BEAM'S THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORANCE
25th February 2018
Ayu was glad that Jack, was the first one to return. Sure, it would have been better if he hadn't arrived during History class.
The teacher – oddly – didn't seem to care, that a student of the House Kali had just entered her class. She politely asked him to take a seat, and advised him not to be late again.
The white boy was too dreamy to be ignored, and even though every girl in the room wanted him by her side, he spotted Ayu and went over to her.
"Hi," said Jack.
"Hi, let's talk after the class, or she will kick us out," said Ayu gesturing him to sit down.
"Oh, don't worry about her," he said waving his hand at the teacher, who didn't seem to notice.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Come on," he grabbed her hand and led her out of her bench.
Nobody reacted. No one even batted an eye as they exited the class.
"What are you trying to do?" she asked as he pulled her outside the door.
"We're going to the outer cafeteria," he said.
"And why do I need to accompany you," she said, having broken his grip.
"Well, for one thing, you almost killed me," said
Jack, referring to the time when Ayu had tricked Jack into distracting the Asuras, while she and Zoey had made their escape.
"Oh, that," said Ayu, not really feeling guilty. "Well I guess I owe you."
***************
"So, what happened?" asked Ayu, placing his tea on the table.
"Does it have sugar," said Jack looking askance at the cup.
"Three spoons."
He gave her a nod.
"What about honey?" he asked.
"Just a pinch," she said gesturing.
"And pepper and salt?"
"Yes, it has pepper and salt," she said, pleased with herself.
"Why, what kind of an idiot adds salt and pepper to their sweet honey tea?" he asked her.
"But you asked me to add it," she pleaded for mercy.
"Oh no, I just asked if the tea had pepper and salt. You took things from there."
"Get me another cup," he said.
"Look, I've already been to the counter five times. The boy on the counter and I, have become best friends. If I go to him again, he'll ask me to elope."
"Five, yeah. How ironic that, five is the number of times I was mortally wounded, when I led the Asuras away from you."
"Alright," she said "But this is the last time."
She came back after five minutes, holding a cup of sweet honey tea, without salt and pepper and a sour expression. This time the Knight didn't whine about his tea being too sweet. He had, had his fun. Now, it was time for business.
"Here, you drink this," he said, giving her a cup of coffee.
"When did you get this?" she asked.
"Oh, don't mind that,"
"So, how is it going for you?" he asked, sipping his tea.
"Apart from all the sneers and frowns I get from, well, everybody, this place has been very hospitable towards me," she said, taking a sip of her own.
"What about you?" she asked. "How did you survive?"
"Ah, well you see, when I was being chased by the Asuras, I collapsed after suffering two arrows on either shoulder and a shotgun fire grazing my left leg. As soon as I was down on the ground, the Asuras were all over me," he said, and Ayu noticed a new hardness on his face. "One purple ugly brought his knife down on my neck, but missed it by an inch, when another shoved him away. I felt a glimmer of hope, but it was soon taken away from me as I watched another creature, more feral, crawl it's way over my chest."
"What happened next?" Ayu asked.
He put a hand over her left ear and pulled a coin out of it. He displayed it to her.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"That didn't impress you?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
"Then how about this one," he pulled out a deck of cards from under his sleeve. He handed them to Ayu, to prove to her, that all the cards were different.
Then he threw the deck on the table, scattering the cards all around.
"Pick a card."
"What has this got to do with what happened to you?"
"Honey, my magic only works if you believe in it," he said. "Now pick a card and don't show it to me."
"Alright," she said picking up a card. She flipped it to find a seven of clubs.
"Put it back in and form a deck from that mess," he said.
Ayu had deduced that the man was as insufferable as her own brother, and therefore didn't quarrel.
"Good, now shuffle it."
She shuffled the deck and handed it back to Jack, who put the cards back under his sleeve.
"Now, take out your phone," said Jack.
"Wait, you are not doing a trick anymore?" she asked.
"I am. Now take out your phone,"
She complied.
"Dial this numbe….."
"Wait, this can't be happening."
"What is the trouble?" he asked.
"Someone changed the password on my phone," she said aghast.
"Try clubs seven," he said.
She looked at him with shock. Then she tried it.
"That's a neat trick," she admitted. "How did you do it?"
"Hmmm," he said pointing a finger at a girl sitting not two tables away from them. "She has been making eyes at me for the better part of an hour now, I'll meet you back at the hostel."
Jack rose from his seat and made his way towards the redhead. He softly stroked his nose with his right ring finger, and felt the pain of a broken nose. Not that anybody knew or could deduce. He had of course made some adjustments using his powers. That his nose was crooked, a knowledge only he retained.
Just like that, he was gone. Ayu slumped back in her chair and grabbed her cup. It was empty. As if there never had been any coffee in the mug.
As if it all had been an illusion.
She whipped her phone out and typed clubs seven for password. It failed. She used her old password.
"Son of a ...."