It was a tall werewolf like creature, clawed but small limbs and a sight of fright. It had black hairs and orange-coloured glowing eyes staring at the bus driver. It was more than 6 feet in height. Its claws looked deadly sharp like little daggers.
It then turned to Anu and the others and growled softly under its breath.
"I guess we all know what to do," the new guy said.
No one was ready to move an inch and so didn't the wolf-creature.
"Someone must move, and that would be us, so co-operate!" Jiant demanded.
They all seemed to be in sync and not move. Just at the right moment the seven of them rushed to the opposite of where the bus was supposed to go, the wolf didn't move.
There was a small slab of stone over a gutter which led them to a small road ahead. Just when they were in sight of the actual road ahead of it, swoosh again and the wolf appeared in front of them.
"New plan," Jiant said, looking frustrated but unmoved at the same time.
Jiant rushed towards the wolf to try and take it down and just as he neared he ran behind it and turned to his friends who just were staring at him.
"A queue for you to run is what I was trying!" Jiant yelled at his friends.
Jiant bashed into the wolf with his shoulder, from behind it, to put it down. But, it just shook him off and threw him away, to the ground.
The wolf then turned to the others and Jayke bashed into it just then, the wolf fell close to Jiant.
Jayke rushed towards the road which they could see ahead and the wolf got up to stop him. Jiant rolled towards the wolf's long and slim legs and made it fall down again.
The wolf growled at Jiant and slashed its claws towards him furiously. Jiant got dragged by the new guy just then and took a sigh of relief.
"Hurt being dragged on the floor, but thanks," Jiant said.
The new guy lent his hand to Jiant and pulled him up. The wolf appeared right ahead of their faces before they could move and growled under its breath, looking at them, as they stood frozen.
"Hey, do you know updog?" a voice came from behind the wolf.
The wolf turned and saw Anu running towards it with a long wooden log. She hit its face, causing an identifiable scar, a drop of blue-coloured blood left the scar.
The wolf got enraged and slashed its hand towards Anu, who shielded herself with the log. The claw tore through the log and made Anu trip backwards.
The wolf then lifted its head up and cried once more, Anu covered her ears quickly.
More drops of blood left the wolf's scar and floated into the air. Once it altogether formed a cluster of blood, the blood spread into the air and splashed away towards everyone near the wolf.
It stuck to Anu's hand and she felt a burning sensation. Everyone including Jiant, who had just got up, dropped to the ground through pain.
Anu was right in front of the wolf and looked up to it. It had stopped crying and she spotted something shiny on the left-wrist of the wolf. With her fine-hand Anu reached for it and pulled, it was a small white gem.
The wolf fell to the ground in front of Anu. Anu looked at it again and it wasn't a wolf, but Varun.
"What the hell? Varun?" Anu asked.
"Hey… you," Varun said shaking his dizziness away.
"Best be a good explanation about the floating blood," Jiant said getting up again, as the burning sensation now just was a mark on his hand, Anu felt the same.
"It like hit all of us," the new guy said.
"Not me," Farr said, she was the only one who looked fine and still hadn't crossed the slab.
"I will explain but what the hell is with the snow?" Varun asked.
"Quid pro quo, Varun," Jayke said.
***
The buses had left and it was only the eight of them nearby a closed cabin of the building, by the playground. Explanations were exchanged, which left each one of them shocked about the situation. By now there was a two minutes lot of silence and Varun couldn't bear it.
"I know that this all is hard to believe, but it is what it is," Varun said trying to fill in the silence.
"We just saw you as a being which resembles a werewolf. And you almost killed all of us. When I made you bleed, you burned us with your blood. Dragons, aliens and prophesied villain, are as steady as it can get to the ears," Anu sighed.
"Again, I didn't get burned though," Farr said yet again. Why was she feeling down that she wasn't harmed? Answer is: because she is dumb.
"You guys should not be a part of this. I'm the only one supposed to be," Varun said.
"Really…? And the ice just warped from Pluto to here? The Rahambose thing is here," Farr said.
"Well, it's not an easy explanation, but, possible. I didn't really get time to ask them about the portal-ing thing. And I don't think they knew either. And it's a he by the way, Rahambose," Varun said.
"You are crazy to think you can do this alone," Jayke said.
"But that is what the prophecy-" Varun said.
"-prophecy, right! From when did you become the one with minimal sense, Varun? There is no one way for things," Jayke said. "That is your dialogue man!"
"Oh, so you will come and fight that guy in outer space?" Varun asked.
"If that is how it has to be," Fahad said acceptingly.
"You too…? This is unbelievable! Humans can't even survive being on other planets. And we need to go through space and get to him. You will what, swim to him?" Varun asked.
"Well, maybe he is here. Maybe we can end him here!" Anu said.
"People died fighting him. Strong people! And he will not be alone," Varun said.
"Even he knows that he can't do this alone. But you want this over and will do it by yourself?" Jayke asked.
"I'm stronger than I was this morning. And the wolf thing makes things even easier," Varun said.
"That is just two small things," Farr said.
"Well, still good odds against Rahambose," Varun said.
"And together, the odds might get more even," Anu said.
"But that is too much for me to ask from you guys," Varun said, looking annoyed.
"You didn't ask. And you don't have to," Anu said.
"However excited you are about being a hero or something. Do you really think you can do this alone, bro?" Fahad asked.
"Tough to say this, but, I even feel stronger after the scar on my hand due to the floating blood," Jiant finally opened his mouth.
Everyone gave Jiant undefinable stares.
"That is so not how it works," Varun said.
"Maybe it is," Jiant shrugged.
"You started this," Anu said to Varun.
"Look, if this goes sideways… I can never forgive myself if it harms any of you," Varun said.
"Such a softie, we do have the same reason too, you know," Anu said.
"These are weird times," Varun let out a breath.
"And do you two agree? You didn't talk a lot. Didn't even actually," Farr stated, looking at the guy and Maaz.
"Well, Varun was getting babied by you people, so we shut up," the guy said.
"It was entertaining to watch from a distance," Maaz said.
"They are enjoying this," Varun sighed.
"Well, the two will lead the way. Let them enjoy that," Anu said.
"Oops, punished again," the guy said.
"We need new names," Varun said.
"Saw that coming," Anu said.
"I'll be called Adam," the guy said.
"Anyone wants to be Eve? No? No one?" Varun asked mockingly.
"I'll be Aria," Anu said.
"Flint," Fahad said.
"Well, Jiant is good enough of a name, so that one's final," Varun said.
Jiant scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes.
"And I will be called as Jay. Short for Jayden, which will make the name more believable," Jayke said.
"Sounds good enough," Varun accepted.
"And me, Fara. Nearly sounds like my real name," Farr said.
"Ok, you didn't even get scarred," Varun said.
"Still coming," Anu said.
"Still coming it is, let that be clear people. Especially you Adam, don't doubt on our Fara," Varun said looking at Adam.
"And I… don't have a name," Maaz said, seemingly begging for suggestions.
"Don't worry, you will either die quicker, won't get the chance to introduce or I'll kill you myself," Varun said.
"Yea, yea," Maaz said mockingly.
"Your pants are shining man," Adam said looking at Varun.
"Yeah, very funny for the first primitive man," Varun said.
"No, I'm-" Adam said.
Varun felt dizzy and his vision blurred yet again. He was in his armour again and in a room he hadn't seen before. Ahead of him Harun and the others stood and stared straight at Varun. Magpie was missing.