Ayaan sat with Dev and a few other colleagues, replaying the day's events in his mind. The memory of the shadowy figure with the crimson, radiating axe haunted him—it had appeared so suddenly and vividly that it felt undeniably real. Gathering his courage, he asked, "Did any of you see something strange during the ceremony? Maybe… a figure on stage with an axe?"
Dev immediately chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "An axe? What, like some medieval knight stormed the stage?" He smirked, adding, "Or maybe it's the stress finally getting to you, Mr. Perfect Aim."
Before Ayaan could respond, Rohit's voice cut through, laced with mockery. "Perfect Aim? More like Perfect Daydreamer." He leaned back with a smirk. "First the axe, now this? What's next, Ayaan? A demon king crashing the ceremony?"
Ayaan shot both of them a glare but ignored their jabs. "I'm serious. It felt real."
Rohit scoffed. "Real? If you weren't so stiff, I'd say you were sneaking drinks during the ceremony. But no, it's just classic Ayaan, finding imaginary enemies because he's bored of real ones."
Dev joined in, grinning. "Or maybe it's a sign, Ayaan. Next time, instead of sniping targets, you'll be taking down shadowy demon figures."
Ayaan clenched his fists, trying to suppress the frustration bubbling inside him. But before he could respond, the back-and-forth continued.
"Come on, Rohit," Dev said, rolling his eyes. "Cut him some slack. You're the one acting like you're the only one with a brain here."
Rohit sneered. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dev. Was I supposed to be impressed by your great sense of humor? Last I checked, we're not here for a comedy show. Let Ayaan play detective with his hallucinations all he wants."
Dev shot back, narrowing his eyes. "You know, sometimes I wonder how you don't suffocate from all that arrogance."
Rohit's smirk widened as he turned his attention to Dev. "And I wonder how you survive drowning in all that mediocrity." He let out a mocking laugh before adding, "But hey, it's okay. Not everyone gets to be honored with a reward." He glanced at Dev with a raised eyebrow. "Some of us just stand in the crowd and cheer for the real winners."
Dev's face reddened at the jab, his jaw tightening. "I didn't get a reward because I wasn't chasing after one like you."
"Oh, is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?" Rohit taunted. "Maybe you'll find your reward in your next fantasy. Until then, enjoy your seat while Ayaan and I take the spotlight."
Ayaan watched the two go back and forth, barely holding his tongue. The teasing and tension between them had always been a fixture, but today, it felt different. He wanted to shut it all out, but the image of that shadowy figure lingered, pulling him deeper into his thoughts.
Another colleague chimed in, their tone more neutral. "Maybe you've been training too hard, Ayaan. Seeing things isn't exactly normal."
Ayaan hesitated before responding. A chilling thought crossed his mind: could his memory of the shadowy figure have been influenced by the articles he'd read about the Tragedy of Numn University? Those articles mentioned the eerie marks of an axe found amidst the devastation. The haunting imagery had lingered in his mind ever since.
"Maybe it's nothing," Ayaan muttered, though the connection gnawed at him. Could his mind have conjured the figure because of that? Or was there something more to it? As the conversation veered into lighter topics, Ayaan couldn't shake the feeling that what he saw wasn't just his imagination.
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After the ceremony, Ayaan walked toward Rathore's office. The door was already slightly ajar, revealing the dimly lit room beyond. Pushing it open further, he stepped inside.
Rohit was already seated in one of the chairs in front of Rathore's desk, leaning back casually. His hand was busy spinning a miniature globe that rested on the desk. With every flick of his fingers, the globe spun and wobbled, the soft squeaking sound breaking the otherwise still atmosphere of the room.
Ayaan moved to the chair beside Rohit, sitting down silently. For a moment, he watched as Rohit continued playing with the globe, seemingly oblivious to anything else.
The repetitive sound and Rohit's antics began to grate on Ayaan's nerves. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer. "Will you stop playing with that? You're like a cat with a ball of yarn," Ayaan snapped, his voice sharp.
Rohit smirked, spinning the globe one last time before leaning back in his chair. "Relax, Mr. Perfect Aim. No need to get so worked up. Maybe try spinning it yourself—it might actually improve your mood."
"I'm serious," Ayaan said, his tone firmer. "You're going to mess something up, and when Rathore gets here, it'll be your head on the chopping block."
Rohit's smirk disappeared, replaced by a flash of annoyance. He grabbed the globe from Rathore's desk, his movements sharp. "Oh, you're serious, huh?" he said, his voice cold.
Before Ayaan could react, Rohit suddenly sprang from his chair, grabbing the globe and swinging it violently toward Ayaan's face. The world seemed to slow as the globe hurtled toward him, its heavy momentum only adding to the rising tension in the room. Just as it was about to make contact, Rohit stopped his hand inches from Ayaan's face, his eyes burning with contempt.
"You think your perfect aim makes you untouchable?" Rohit sneered, his voice low, each word dripping with scorn. "You're nothing when it comes to close combat. You'd be dead before you even had time to blink."
Ayaan held his ground, his gaze steady despite the tension. "Maybe," he replied calmly, "but at least I know where to draw the line. You might want to figure that out before Rathore walks in and sees you like this."
As if on cue, the door swung open, and Rathore stepped in, his sharp eyes quickly assessing the situation. "What the hell is going on here?" he barked, his tone commanding immediate attention. Both Ayaan and Rohit turned toward him, startled.
Rathore glanced between the two, noticing the globe still in Rohit's hand. With a frown, he crossed his arms and said, "Stop your Tom and Jerry show before I decide to throw both of you out. Sit down and act like professionals."
Captain Rathore walked into the room, his footsteps silent yet heavy with tension. He took his seat behind the desk, his posture stiff as he stared at both Ayaan and Rohit with a cold, piercing gaze. The room felt unusually quiet, the air thick with unspoken words.
"Thanks for messing up my table," Rathore said in a low, icy voice, his eyes narrowing as he glanced between the two. His words were calm, but there was no mistaking the annoyance in his tone. Without waiting for a response, he rang the bell on the table with a sharp, deliberate clang.
A moment later, the door opened, and Isha Mehra entered. Despite being on the same level as Ayaan and Rohit, she carried herself with a commanding presence. Her sharp eyes swept the room, taking in the scene before her, and a sly smirk tugged at her lips.
"Is this what you two consider 'working'?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She glanced at Ayaan and Rohit, shaking her head. "How charming."
Rathore, still calm but with an edge to his voice, addressed her. "Go to the office attendant, tell them to bring another chair, and clear the mess off my table."
"Understood," she replied curtly. Then, without missing a beat, she turned her gaze back to Ayaan and Rohit. "Sorry about the mess," she said with a mock sigh. "Seems like my little troublemakers had a bit of fun with the desk."
Ayaan raised an eyebrow, maintaining a serious expression, while Rohit rolled his eyes in irritation