UNIVERSITY ARC
As my mind swirled with thoughts of Raksha's brewing rage, Geetha's voice was still locked in a heated argument with us. But then, chaos erupted with a terrifying suddenness. The lights flickered, plunging the entire restaurant into a suffocating darkness. All the glass doors shattered, and a squad of thugs stormed in, armed to the teeth with guns and blades that glinted menacingly in the dim light. The alarm blared, a shrill wail that only added to the bedlam. In mere moments, the atmosphere shifted from tense to deadly.
Blood splitted across the once-immaculate walls as the thugs unleashed carnage upon everyone in their path. Screams echoed through the air, mingling with the rapid gunfire and the crunch of glass underfoot. What had once been a place of luxury and elegance had transformed into a nightmarish slaughterhouse.
My friends were frozen in fear, their eyes wide as they became unwilling witnesses to the massacre unfolding before them. Even Geetha, typically so brash and self-assured, was reduced to a quivering mess, her earlier arrogance shattered by the brutal reality of the situation.
Suddenly, Raksha returned to the table, her face drained of all emotion, as if she were staring at something far beyond the physical world. She stood still, her mind struggling to process the horror around her. A memory stirred—a distant nightmare, buried but never forgotten. But then, something within her snapped. Her eyes frantically searched the room until they found me. The sight of me, still alive, brought her back to the present, if only briefly. My body lay motionless on the ground with my friends, but I had signalled subtly with my fingers that I was still alive.
Her eyes darkened with a cold, unrelenting fury. She could no longer hold back the beast within. She didn't want to.
|"Not today! I won't lose my grip again. I'll never fail you again."|
Her words sent chills down my spine. I couldn't fully grasp what she meant, but there was no time to ponder. Raksha's sword lay hidden in our room, a secret only we knew. It was there for situations like this, but she didn't need it—not this time. The raw power in her fists was more than enough.
With terrifying calm, she turned to face the thugs, her expression a mask of deadly intent. She stood there, her bare fists clenched, ready to fight. A whisper, almost inaudible, escaped her lips.
|"Now, let's begin."|
The smile that followed was terrifying—cold, calculating, the smile of someone who had embraced the darkness within. She assumed a battle stance, and for the first time, I saw her truly prepared for combat. Across the room, the thugs frantically searched for something—or someone.
A loud, authoritative voice boomed through the chaos, commanding attention.
|"Guys! Search for her! We've got intel that she arrived just ten minutes ago. You've got ten minutes. I want that girl!"|
It was clear they were hunting for someone specific. Who could it be? But there was no time for questions. Raksha, consumed by a fury I had never seen before, was beyond reason.
In one fluid motion, she attacked. Her movements were a blur, escaping from their rapid firing by the various guns, as she twisted the limbs of one of the men, snapping them like dry twigs. I watched, helpless and torn, knowing I had to protect my friends but unable to look away from the terrifying spectacle before me. Raksha wasn't just fighting; she was hunting. Her targets were the heads of her enemies, and she showed no mercy.
One of the men let out a desperate scream, loud enough to alert their leader, who quickly advanced toward us, eyes locked on Raksha.
He sneered, trying to mask his fear.
|"Hey young lady! It seems you're with that girl. If that's true, tell me where she is, and I'll spare your life."|
His words were absurd. Did he seriously think she'd cooperate? I couldn't help but laugh—a dark, hollow sound that echoed through the blood-soaked room.
|"You want to make a deal? I'm not in the mood for jokes. If you want her, you'll have to go through me."|
The leader's face twisted with anger as he yelled to his men.
|"How dare you! Kill that girl and bring me her head. Whoever does it gets a promotion!"|
Raksha's patience snapped. In the blink of an eye, she became a whirlwind of death. She moved like the wind, dodging bullets with terrifying precision, decapitating one thug after another, her movements fluid and unstoppable. The room was a symphony of violence, with Raksha conducting a bloody orchestra. She spared no one—except the leader. I watched, my heart pounding, eager to see the fear in his eyes.
Drenched in blood, Raksha stood amidst the carnage like a demon from a nightmare, her once-pristine dress now soaked in crimson. Her appearance was beyond terrifying—she was a force of nature, unstoppable, unyielding.
The leader, trembling, stammered.
|"How could… how could a mere girl kill all my men? This can't be real! Who are you? What are you?"|
Raksha's gaze bore into him, her voice a deadly whisper.
|"You don't get to ask questions. You'll speak when I permit it. Now, who are you, and what do you want?"|
The leader, his voice quaking with terror, pleaded for his life.
| "Please, spare me! Don't kill me!"|
But Raksha was beyond mercy. Her voice thundered
| "Answer me, or die!"|
|"We… we're part of the Underworld Mafia, our leader sent us to find a girl… no matter the cost."|
|"Who is she? Tell me!"|
His answer left her visibly shaken. She stood in stunned silence, her fury replaced by shock. I was desperate to know who the girl was, but before I could ask, Raksha silenced him forever.
Suddenly, fire was raised by the destruction. The emergency alarms blared, and water rained down from the ceiling, soaking the already blood-soaked restaurant. The scene was pure chaos—bodies strewn across the floor, blood pooling beneath them. The air was thick with the stench of death.
Then, she ran towards me to check my injuries. I hardly turned to Raksha, my voice trembling.
|"Who was the girl they were searching for?"|
Raksha's eyes filled with sorrow as she looked at me.
|"Brother, did I… did I overreact? I made a terrible mistake. You told me to stop, but I didn't listen. I even revealed your identity. I'm so sorry."|
Tears welled up in her eyes, and for a moment, the terrifying warrior was gone, replaced by the sister I knew so well.
|"It's okay Raksha. Yes, you revealed my identity, but you won't and it also wasn't intentional."|
Raksha's confusion was clear, but I understood.
|"Listen, Raksha, it's true you revealed my identity, but I took precautions after the gang entered the restaurant."|
**Flashback:**
When the gang stormed in, I knew what would follow. My friends were already scared, and I couldn't let them witness what was about to happen. So, I acted quickly. With precise strikes, I knocked them out—Geetha included—rendering them unconscious, sparing them from Raksha's fury.
**End Flashback.**
|"You see, you didn't make a mistake. You did what you had to do. Now, tell me, who was their target?"|
Raksha's voice was tense as she answered.
|"It's… it's our classmate, Geetha."|
My heart sank. Geetha? How could this be? The reality of the situation hit me like a freight train. What should I do now?