Two thousand years ago,

there was a vast and open field in the battlefield, surrounded by beautiful mountains on all sides. But as beautiful as those mountains were, the scene on the battlefield was equally horrific. Countless dead bodies lay scattered everywhere, some taking their last breaths, while others were being pecked at by vultures. The earth was soaked in the blood of countless warriors who had fought valiantly in this brutal war.

Among the dead bodies, a warrior sat on his knees, his golden hair drenched in blood, his face unrecognizable due to bloodstains. His body was covered in wounds, and a spear protruded from his left shoulder. Yet, he was alive, though motionless, his eyes fixed on one spot.

In front of him lay another dead warrior, a woman with a spear lodged in her chest. Her long, flowing hair still swayed in the wind, as if trying to awaken her. Her face, though stained with blood, still radiated innocence.

Suddenly, the earth split open, and a goddess emerged, her face consumed by rage, as if someone had inflicted immense harm on the earth itself. The goddess cursed the warrior and his lineage, then vanished with the dead woman warrior.

The warrior's scream echoed through the battlefield, sending vultures flying. But alas, no one heard his cry.

****************

"What the hell are you doing? You idiot! How many times have I told you to handle chemicals carefully during lab tests? Every time, something goes wrong with you. I don't understand how you passed your Ph.D. entrance exam. Who let you sit for the entrance exam, and how did you clear the interview? You can't handle anything.

"You'll either set the lab on fire one day or burn yourself. You're responsible if even a single artifact gets damaged. Do you know the value of an archaeological artifact? Stupid.

"Get out of here. Don't show your face in the lab for the next two days. Understand?"

Akash yelled in the lab, where he and Bhoomi, along with other Ph.D. scholars, were present. Some girls were delighted, as this was a routine affair for Bhoomi. However, today was worse than usual, and Akash didn't even notice the presence of master's students in the lab.

"Oh God, what has this girl done now?" Sammie was testing some stone tools in another lab. "What's her problem? She always causes trouble. Just ignore her," another boy said, shaking his head. "Akhil, you always speak ill of her. She likes you. Show some respect," the first boy said. "Honestly, she's not my type. You know that. She's just stuck on me. I'm just using her to pass the time until I find a better girl. She helps me with my thesis research." Akhil said. Sammie looked at him in surprise. "Akhil, how can you say such things? If you don't like her, tell her. You're raising her hopes. You're just using her for your benefit. If she finds out, she'll be hurt. And if she keeps doing your work, when will she write her own thesis? She's been doing your assignments since high school, Akhil, from graduation to master's." Sammie said sadly. "If you're so concerned about her, you take her. Leave me alone." Akhil got up and left. "You're making a mistake, Akhil." Sammie said loudly, but Akhil wasn't listening.

Meanwhile, Akash stormed into his office, furious. His fellow professors were sitting there, having tea and snacks. "Here's your tea, Akash," Dr. Neera said. "Looks like that girl has caused trouble again. That's why you're frowning." Professor Sameer said, and Neera and Sameer burst out laughing, but Akash didn't respond.

"I don't think she deserves to be in college. There's something weird about her. Her clothes, her hair - she looks like a wrestler! And she's so dumb. I wonder how she'll complete her Ph.D." Neera said, making a face. Sameer agreed. "Yes, she's weird."

Listening to Neera and Sameer, Akash's face turned red. He didn't know why, but he felt uneasy. Though Bhoomi might be foolish, she was his student. He yelled at her often, but when others criticized her, it didn't sit well with him. He got up and left abruptly.

"Where are you going, Akash?" Neera and Sameer asked, but Akash was already gone, walking swiftly as if driven by the wind.

*******************

It was two o'clock. All classes were over. Although Bhoomi, being a scholar, had to stay until six o'clock. Bhoomi was sitting alone in the canteen eating. Bhoomi was a very strange girl. She always wore loose T-shirts and jeans. Her short hair reached her shoulders, and she had thick-rimmed glasses. Her complexion wasn't very fair, but her features were sharp and beautiful. She rarely made friends with anyone. Perhaps she had no siblings to talk to, and her parents were always busy. As a result, Bhoomi grew up alone, becoming her own companion. She had a habit of talking to herself.

Bhoomi was furious, still upset from Akash's insults that morning. She mimicked Akash, "What the hell are you doing? You idiot. How many times have I told you to be careful with chemicals during lab tests? You always mess up. I don't understand how you passed the Ph.D. entrance. Who let you sit for the entrance and how did you clear the interview? You're incapable. You'll either set the lab on fire or burn yourself one day. If any artifacts are damaged, you'll be responsible. Understand? Leave now. Don't show up in the lab for the next two days. Even PG students perform better than you."

"To think who made this guy a professor. He can't even speak decently to students. Hitler's rule wasn't this strict. If Hitler saw him, he'd commit suicide and go back to his grave. You rule now, brother. You're the bigger Hitler," Bhoomi muttered to herself.

She looked up, annoyed at the canteen staff. "Is there a hypertension patient in the canteen? Who put so little salt in the dal?" Akash sat across from her, working on his laptop, with a cup of tea beside him. His fingers flew across the keyboard. Bhoomi took a deep breath.

"Oh no, Bhoomi, you're done for. Akash will now send you to the underworld." Bhoomi whispered to herself. Akash sipped his tea, looked up over his glasses, and locked eyes with Bhoomi. Her food stuck in her throat, and she couldn't swallow. Akash stared, and Bhoomi froze, unable to move.