Tanvi's curious gaze lingered on the boy seated near the back of the classroom. Something about him felt... off. It wasn't that he was doing anything strange — in fact, he seemed to be doing his best to disappear. That was what caught her attention.
When the final bell rang, Tanvi packed her bag with her friend Priya, chatting softly. Even as they left the classroom, Tanvi glanced over her shoulder — just once — and saw the boy still sitting there, unmoving.
He hadn't even twitched.
The classroom emptied. Silence settled in.
The boy — still unnamed to those around him — finally looked up. His breathing was shallow. The panic that had faded during class was returning. Stronger now.
Should I go now? Or wait? What if they're still outside?
A few more minutes passed. Then, cautiously, he stood, packed his bag, and slipped out of the room.
The hallway was quiet. Almost empty.
Near the entrance — in the wide, echoing corridor that led out of the college building — a few boys stood by the water cooler. In the corner of the hall, three boys sat on the floor — one in the center, legs stretched, back resting lazily against the wall.
That one was Raghav. A senior. Taller and broader than most others. His black hair drooped slightly over his eyes, shadowing his face. A calm stillness surrounded him — not peaceful, but dangerous. Like a lion lounging before a hunt.
Near the entrance — in the wide, echoing corridor that led out of the college building — a few boys stood by the water cooler. In the corner of the hall, three boys sat on the floor — one in the center, legs stretched, back resting lazily against the wall.
That one was Raghav. A senior. Taller and broader than most others. His black hair drooped slightly over his eyes, shadowing his face. A calm stillness surrounded him — not peaceful, but dangerous. Like a lion lounging before a hunt.
As the boy approached the exit, walking quietly, hoping not to be seen, the voice he feared most rang out:
"Oyy, Arjun! Where are you going?"
That was it.
His name, finally spoken aloud — not by a friend or teacher, but by the one person he feared the most.
Arjun froze, a chill running down his spine. He didn't need to look — he knew that voice. He had waited in the college entrance all morning just to avoid hearing it. And yet, there it was.
He quickened his pace, desperate to escape.
Raghav, observing this, muttered something to the two boys by the water cooler.
"Get him."
They nodded. One of them — Naveen — darted to Arjun's right. The other — Sohail — flanked his left.
Before Arjun could react, Sohail slung an arm over his shoulder and whispered in a slow, mocking voice, "Didn't you hear someone calling your name?"
Arjun lowered his head. "I'm sorry..." he murmured, barely audible.
"You made me run all the way here, man," Naveen growled. "Do you know how annoying that is—"
"Oyyy! Stop chatting and bring him here already!" Raghav snapped from behind.
The two boys led Arjun forward. Raghav stood up, using the shoulders of the two who had been sitting beside him.
"Didn't see you this morning," he said. "Where were you?"
Arjun swallowed. "I... missed the bus. Sorry."
Raghav smiled wide. "Aah, always saying sorry. Don't be like that. We're friends, aren't we?"
Arjun nodded.
Raghav leaned closer, lowering his voice. "But you weren't acting like a friend just now. Running away even after I called you?"
Arjun's stomach twisted. That voice — calm, deep, and laced with menace — was worse than yelling. His mind raced, trying to think of something to say. But before a word could form, a sharp pulse of pain surged through his stomach — the bruise from yesterday's beating flaring back to life.
His knees gave out.
Clutching his stomach, Arjun collapsed to the floor, gasping. He couldn't even move his hand away from the pain. Arjun looked up, his eyes clouded with fear and helplessness.
"I'm sorry... please," he choked. "Please forgive me... I didn't mean to upset you... just let me go today... please..."
Raghav raised his leg, ready to kick again—
"HEY! What's going on here?" a sharp voice echoed.
They all turned.
Ms. Isha Kapoor, the literature teacher, stood at the hallway entrance, hands on her hips, eyes locked on Raghav.
"Class is over. Is this what I think it is? Do I need to call your parents right now?"
Raghav immediately threw on a harmless smile. "Teacher, why don't you ask him if we're bullying him?"
Ms. Kapoor looked at Arjun. He slowly stood up, wincing in pain.
"No, ma'am... we're friends," he said quietly.
She narrowed her eyes but sighed. "Fine. It's late. All of you — out."
The group scattered. Raghav shot Arjun one final look — no more fake smiles, just raw, simmering hatred.
Only Arjun and Ms. Kapoor remained.
She approached him, concern softening her voice. "Why don't you stand up for yourself, Arjun? It's clear you're being bullied."
Arjun gave a small, broken smile. "My mom works so hard... day and night... I don't want to worry her. It's not that big of a burden. I can handle it."
Her eyes glistened with pity. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"From tomorrow onward, come to my office after class. We'll leave together, alright?"
Arjun shook his head. "It's okay... I don't want to be a bother."
She smiled gently. "You're not a bother. Just come. You don't have to go through this alone."
He nodded slightly.
And together, the teacher and the wounded boy walked out of the building — one step at a time.
Meanwhile, in the divine realm...
The atmosphere in the chamber remained tense, thick with unspoken doubts and unanswered questions.
Loki leaned back against a golden pillar, twirling a strand of his long hair between two fingers. "So? Have you decided how and when to send him?"
Vishnu sighed, his gaze sharp. "Yes. Not into an existing body. We've agreed—we will not overwrite a living soul. It's… dangerous. Corrupting."
Brahma added, "So we find a newborn. One whose soul is slipping away. We send him there—into that empty vessel. A second chance... without conflict."
Orven nodded. "I've seen it. A child in India will be born soon. Weak… not expected to live. That will be our moment."
Loki's smile widened. "How poetic. Rebirth through death."
Vishnu shot him a glare. "Stay out of this."
Orven narrowed his eyes. "Loki… I'm warning you. Don't interfere. I can see the path forward—don't make me erase you from it."
Loki chuckled. "Oh, Orven. You see the future, yes. But only while he lives. Once he dies… even your vision goes dark, doesn't it?"
Orven's jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
Loki stepped closer, voice lower now, more serious. "You want to know why I surrendered to him, don't you?"
Everyone turned to face him.
Brahma asked cautiously, "You're not exactly the type to bow down. So… why?"
Loki sat down beside Orven, his tone strange and distant. "At first, I fought him with magic. Changed fate. I've done it before, curved destinies like rivers. But this time… something blocked me. Every thread I tried to pull—snapped."
He looked up. "So I used everything. Every drop of my power. Even then, something stopped me. Like the universe itself stood in my way. I've never felt that before."
A silence fell over the chamber.
Loki's voice dropped to a whisper. "I surrendered not because I was weak... but because something stronger than all of us didn't want that his fate to changed."
[Chapter 7 end]