Chapter 46 - Catalyst

after hearing Kainaat's tragic story, the friends decided to surprise Kainaat with a gift so she could forget her painful past and focus on the present and have a better future, Alyne, Aliza and Nizaam kept Kainaat occupied while Hussnain, Zulqarnain, Ashhad and Humzah decided to get Kainaat a gift though Hussnain and Zulqarnain got distracted in a good old student teacher discussion, now only Humzah and Ashhad were searching for a gift for Kainaat while exploring the forest area near Kainaat's cabin Humzah said

Humzah : I wanted to give her some jewelry because I've heard that girls like that.

Ashhad : any gift given by a friend is considered precious.

Humzah : yeah but I wanna give her something unique, something that will help her feel better.

Ashhad and Humzah kept looking and a few seconds later Humzah said

Humzah : hey Ashhad did you know I never got married.

Ashhad : really why?

Humzah : all the girls I ever fell in love with were either sluts or hoes.

Ashhad : damn, you must be sexually deprived.

Humzah : I am and I've thought that maybe now I can satisfy my thirst.

Ashhad : wait are you gonna go to a brothel?

Humzah : what no, I meant that I like Kainaat.

Ashhad was speechless but then he started laughing

Ashhad : you, like Kainaat?

Ashhad continued laughing as Humzah asked

Humzah : why, what's so funny?

Ashhad stopped laughing and said

Ashhad : that was the best joke ever.

Humzah said in a serious tone

Humzah : I'm serious.

Ashhad's expression changed as he asked

Ashhad : wait, you're not joking?

Humzah : no man I really like her and I really want to start a serious relationship with her.

Ashhad : well in that case I think I can help you but first we need to stop Sufiyan and then we can think about you and Kainaat.

Humzah : I just need your support.

Ashhad : my support is with you 24 by 7 but after we defeat Sufiyan.

Humzah : dude it'll take us forever to defeat Sufiyan.

Ashhad : it won't.

Humzah : you sound like as if something will happen in a few minutes that will trigger a chain of events that will lead to Sufiyan getting dethroned.

Ashhad : you haven't seen the future and niether have I but I have a feeling that something big is about to happen.

Humzah : you and you're stupid pessimism, you know what forget the gift let's go home.

Ashhad : sure thing Panda.

Humzah : what did you call me?!

Ashhad : what you are.

after saying that Ashhad started laughing and running as Humzah went after him, the two eventually reached Kainaat's cabin as Ashhad said

Ashhad : wow you're pretty slow.

Humzah was exhausted from all the running as he said

Humzah : you * huff * * puff * I'm so tired.

Ashhad : I wonder how you're gonna impress Kainaat with that big belly of yours?

Humzah : Ashhad I'm gonna break that long nose of yours with a clamp if you don't shut up right now.

Ashhad : jeez you're a hot head.

the two went inside the cabin, Hussnain and Zulqarnain were still recalling their past lives, Nizaam was sitting with them listening to their past but when he saw Ashhad and Humzah he got up and asked

Nizaam : did you get a gift for Kainaat?

Humzah : this dummy kept pulling my leg.

Ashhad : bro after what you said it became a must to pull your leg.

Nizaam : what did he say?

Ashhad said whilst trying to control his laugh

Ashhad : nothing.

Humzah angrily growled

Humzah : don't you dare tell them anything!

Ashhad : relax I won't say a word.

Nizaam : great now what're we gonna gift Kainaat?

Ashhad : relax I got it covered.

just then Ashhad took out in his hand a shiny crystal, it was sparkling and gave a yellowish aura, seeing the crystal Hussnain and Zulqarnain stopped what they were doing and their gaze met with the shiny crystal as Nizaam asked

Nizaam : where did you find that?

Ashhad : when I went with Hussnain to the mines, I found this, though I sold all the the other crystals and gems I found but I decided to keep this one cause it looked pretty.

Hussnain : Zulqarnain isn't that a Gemomeed?

Zulqarnain : why yes Hussnain it is.

Hussnain gasped and said

Hussnain : oh my god, I thought they were a myth.

Ashhad : why is this crystal special?

Zulqarnain : the crystal you are holding in your hand right now is the most rarest crystal in this world.

Ashhad : what?!

Zulqarnain : they are so rare that their are only 2 or 3 of these in the entire world and their price in the virtual shop is 5 trillion emeralds.

the price shocked everyone including Ashhad and after a small moment of silence

Humzah said

Humzah : sell it it'll make you rich.

Ashhad : actually I think I'll go forward with the original plan I had intended for.

Nizaam : wait you're going to give it to Kainaat?

Ashhad : I see it as win win for all of us, after all Kainaat has done so much for us and regardless of how expensive this is nothing can bring back the years of suffering Kainaat has been through.

Hussnain : good argument.

Humzah : yeah that way we'll win Kainaat's trust.

Ashhad : and I know exactly who should give this to her.

Humzah : really who?

Ashhad handed the Gemomeed to Humzah and said

Ashhad : tell her this is a gift from all of us but you found it, ok?

Humzah : are you sure?

Ashhad bent over to Humzah's ear and whispered

Ashhad : let this be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Humzah giggled as he looked at Kainaat she was chatting with Aliza and Alyne in the kitchen and they seemed happy, Humzah gained the courage and just when he took the first step towards Kainaat a rock came flying and broke through one of the cabins window, the cabin had been surrounded by the mercenaries as Dean shouted at the top of his lungs

Dean : SEPARATISTS IT IS I THE MIGHTY DEAN, YOUR CABIN HAS BEEN ENCIRCLED BY OUR GROUP, I SUGGEST YOU SURRENDER AND COME OUTSIDE, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT FIGHTING FOR IT WILL END BADLY!!!!!!!!!

Dean's statements left everyone in a state of panic, the mercenaries started throwing stones and firing arrows on the cabin, the friends quickly got in a corner where it was most unlikely for them to get hit by an oncoming projectile, during this commotion they all began giving suggestions, first Hussnain said

Hussnain : I say we wait and see, maybe they'll leave.

Zulqarnain : I say we fight defensively and try to get a favorable peace deal.

Alyne : how about a ransom for our lives?

Aliza : maybe they'll leave if we give them food.

Hussnain : Ashhad what do you ... wait Ashhad where are you going?!

Ashhad had walked up to the front door with sword in hand as he said

Ashhad : I don't know about you guys but I'm tired of running, I will go and fight them.

Ashhad looked back at the door and said

Ashhad : either I'll go to heaven or send them to hell myself.

Ashhad opened the door and walked outside, when Dean saw him he smiled and said

Dean : if you have came to negotiate, then let me make myself clear, you have two options surrender or die.

Ashhad : I'm done playing games Dean, today I'll either kill all of you or die myself.

Dean took out his sword and said

Dean : don't say I didn't warn you.

the other brothers surrounded Ashhad, the friends all came out to back Ashhad up, at first they were hesitant but, when they saw how serious Ashhad was they decided that it was time to throw hands, with swords, shields, crossbows and bows in hand the battle began, Ashhad went against Dean all alone while Humzah, Hussnain, Zulqarnain and Kainaat took on two brothers each and Alyne, Nizaam and Aliza began fighting one brother each, Humzah and Hussnain lead the opening charge against their adversaries gaining the upper hand in both close quarter and ranged combat in a short period of time, Hussnain kept firing arrows with full precision and speed while Humzah took the opportunity to attack them from the left, during the conflict Zulqarnain shouted

Zulqarnain : get them away from the cabin!

Hussnain and Humzah did as instructed and drove the mercenaries away meanwhile Zulqarnain was showing no remorse for his enemies, although the other brothers were no match for Dean or Skull crusher, Zulqarnain kept fighting with the same level of aggression, he eventually overpowered them and with some swift blows put an end to their lives, Humzah and Hussnain were beginning to face some difficulties as 2 versus 4 is not an ideal situation but with Zulqarnain's arrival, the tides quickly shifted in the friends favor, through coordination and effort the trio eventually overpowered the brothers and one by one killed them all, the three then headed back to help the others, Kainaat was fighting a very balanced fight, Nizaam and Alyne were doing their best and Aliza was for the most part running for her life, after their arrival the three friends split up, Humzah started helping Kainaat, Zulqarnain started helping Aliza and Hussnain began aiding Nizaam and Alyne, with all odds in their favor the friends quickly killed 5 of the remaining 6 mercenaries, now only Dean was left and he to was having difficulties against Ashhad, niether had Ashhad gotten stronger nor was he more confident, Ashhad was pissed off and it is a little known fact that when someone is pissed off you shouldn't fight them, Ashhad had became a nightmare for Dean and with the arrival of his friends the situation further deteriorated, Dean was very close to dying when he pulled out a miniature explosive and blew it stunning all the friends, taking the opportunity Dean ran away.