Episode 10
First day of university
Sikandar dheere dheere ghar ki taraf chal raha tha, kandhon ko jhukaye hue.
Apni bachpan ki dost ke munh se nikalne wale wo sakht alfaaz uske dil par ghaav kar gaye thay.
Uski madhur awaaz se aise sakht alfaaz sunna waqai takleef de tha.
Dusre log kya sochte hain ya kehte hain, ye baat to kabhi Sikandar ko farq nahi daalti thi. Magar jab baat Laura ki ho, to woh bilkul mukhtalif hoti hai. Wo uske liye kisi ghar walay se kam nahi thi.
Lekin phir Sikandar ne apna sar jhatka, “Main itna udaas kyun hoon?”
“Mere paas system hai, main baad mein invincible ban jaunga! Tab dekhenge kaun kamzor hai,” usne soch kar apne aap ko hosla diya.
Achi feeling wapas aate hi, Sikandar tezi se ghar gaya aur casual kapray pehnay.
Usne apna pasandeeda oversized grey sweater pehna, jiske neeche ek white undershirt thi. Uske ripped jeans uski taaqatwar taangon ko tight fit karti thi, aur casual white shoes uske outfit ka aakhri hissa the.
Usne apni necklace aur ek purana watch bhi pehna jo usko yaadgar tha.
Apne bag me laptop daal kar — jo usne ek kandhe par latkaya tha — Sikandar ka university ka pehla outfit tayar tha, jo uski muscular body ko dikhata tha.
Mrs. Greene ka naya shohar, Robert, ek achi position par kaam karta tha aur kaafi successful shakhs tha. Uski wajah se unka ghar pehle se kaafi behtar halat mein aa gaya tha. Robert ne to Sikandar ke liye ek car bhi khareed di thi.
Lekin Robert kaafi busy rehta tha, is liye Sikandar ki us se zyada mulaqat nahi hoti thi.
Jab Sikandar ne dekha ke Mrs. Greene abhi so rahi hain, to usne socha ke chup chap university ke liye nikal jaye. Wo apni sedan car me baitha aur Ochyra University ki taraf rawana ho gaya.
Traffic zyada nahi tha to wo sirf 20 minutes mein university pohanch gaya.
University ke gate par utar kar usne seedha khara ho kar aas paas dekha.
Subah ke waqt har university ki tarah yahaan bhi har taraf students ki hansi aur guftagu ka shor tha. Magar baqi universities se farq ye tha ke yahaan kuch students elemental control ka use kar rahe thay.
Kisi ne fireball se khelna shuru kiya, koi pani se prank kar raha tha, aur kuch to wind barrier bana rahe thay taake logon se takra na jayein.
Mrs. Greene ne kal hi bataya tha ke Ochyra University sirf Awakened logon ke liye hai.
Sikandar ek aam insaan tha, is liye wo yahaan minority mein tha.
Har 100 mein se sirf 1 shakhs lucky hota hai jise ye Awakening milti hai — ek natural event jisme logon ko powers milti hain. Ye aksar talent ki wajah se hota hai, lekin kabhi kabhi life and death situation bhi isay trigger karti hai.
Sikandar ka muscular jism, jo ke sweater ke neeche bhi nazar aa raha tha, dekh kar kuch larkiyan us par nazar daalne se khud ko rok nahi pai.
Wo dekhne mein bhi acha lagta tha, is liye aisi nazrein milna ajeeb nahi tha.
Military mein to kisi ne kabhi aise treat nahi kiya — wahan sab usay “Grumpy Brawny” kehte thay. Sirf ek shakhs thi jo uske kareeb aayi thi.
Magar asal wajah kuch aur bhi thi — larkiyon ka uski taraf khinchna sirf uski shakl ya jism ki wajah se nahi tha, kuch aur bhi tha jo use attract kar raha tha.
Lekin apna dhyan wapas entrance ki taraf laga kar, Sikandar andar chala gaya.
Kuch der idhar udhar poochhne ke baad — lagbhag 20 minutes mein — usne finally administration room dhoond liya. Wo entrance ke paas hi tha, aur see-through tha.
"Ye to yahin tha...!" usne soch kar khud par hi gussa kiya.
Andar ja kar wo ek receptionist ke samne ja baitha — ek formally dressed lambi kaali zulfon wali aurat thi.
"Excuse me, main pehle se registered student hoon lekin aaj se classes attend kar raha hoon,"
Receptionist ne pehle ghusse se usay dekha, jaise wo uska jaayza le rahi ho — ye dekh kar Sikandar confused ho gaya.
"Aapka naam?" usne bored lehje mein pucha.
"Sikandar Silverstar," usne halka annoyed ho kar jawab diya.
Naam sunte hi receptionist ka chehra chamak utha. Usne muskurahat ke saath jawab diya:
"Oh? Mafi chahti hoon Mr. Sikandar, aapka pehla class hoga first-year 1-C. Main unke homeroom teacher ko inform kar deti hoon. Aap seedha class mein chale jayein."
"Class kidhar hai?" Sikandar ne mazeed pucha kyunke ye university kisi maze se kam nahi thi.
Receptionist ne muskurate hue entrance ke paas computer map ki taraf ishara kiya.
Sikandar ne uska shukriya ada kiya aur wahan se nikal gaya.
Uske nikalte hi doosri receptionist auratein us receptionist ke paas aayi aur gossip shuru kar di:
"Kya ye wahi Sikandar Silverstar hai? Military hero?"
"Wahi banda jise do medal of honor mile thay, lekin ye to Awakened nahi lagta!"
"Waqai?"
"Haan, mujhe usme koi elemental energy feel nahi hui."
"Main samjhi thi ke wo bohat cool hoga, lekin pata chala ke woh sirf ek aam banda hai. Kitni disappointment!" Ek aur receptionist boli.
Thodi der baad, Sikandar ne finally apni class dhoond li.
"Ye kya university hai yaar, 15 minutes lag gaye class dhoondhne mein! Map ke bawajood!"
Class 1-C university ke aathwen floor par tha.
Class ka darwaza baqi sab se zyada luxurious tha, aur uspe ek roaring panther ka naqsh tha.
"Toh ye hai elite class? Kaafi fancy!" usne socha.
Lekin usi waqt uska dil tez dhadakne laga.
Itne arsay baad usne aisi situation mehsoos ki thi. Wo Ghouls Den mission se bhi zyada nervous ho gaya tha.
Gehri saans le kar usne darwaza khola.
Darwaza khulta hi ek khamosh classroom uska intezar kar raha tha. Lecturer ne apna lecture roka aur darwaze ki taraf dekha.
Sikandar ki taraf sab students ne dekha, uske paseene chhoot gaye.
"Tum naye student ho? Mujhe Mr. Joseph keh kar bulao. Aao class ke saamne aur apna taaruf do," lecturer ne kaha.
Mr. Joseph ek middle-aged insaan tha — kaafi kamzor aur nazuk, aur Sikandar se poora ek foot chhota. Glasses pehne hue.
Lekin Sikandar ko apne military senses ke zariye mehsoos hua — ye banda kamzor nahi hai.
Ye to kisi Supernatural jaise mehsoos ho raha tha — hatta ke King of Ghouls se bhi zyada dangerous.
Sikandar ne haan mein sir hilaaya aur class ke beech ja kar khara ho gaya.
Sab usay dekh rahe thay. Usne khud ko calm kiya aur confident lehje mein bola:
"Mera naam Sikandar Silverstar hai. Mujhe aap sab se mil kar khushi hui. Main Ochyra University ka naya student hoon, umeed hai aap sab mera khayal rakhenge."
Uske bolne ke baad class mein halki halki chugli shuru ho gayi.
Tabhi ek student khada hua:
"Kya tum wahi Sikandar Silverstar ho? Agar ho, to tum Awakened kyun nahi ho?"
"Haan, main wahi hoon. Medals lena ya jung mein hissa lena is baat ka saboot nahi ke main Awakened hoon."
"Main ne sirf Elpida Alliance ke liye apna farz ada kiya."
Sikandar ne pur-sukoon lehje mein jawab diya.
Ye sun kar us ladke ne nafrat bhari nazar se dekha,
"Yeh theek hai ke tumne Elpida Alliance ke liye apna farz nibhaya. Lekin meri baat yeh hai ke yeh class 1-C hai, jo sirf rank 3 privileged pehle saal ke students ke liye hai. Aur iska matlab yeh hai ke hum sab Awakened hain," usne naraaz chehre ke sath kaha.
"Maine class ka intekhaab nahi kiya, mujhe yeh class assign ki gayi hai," Sikandar ne be-niyazi se kandha ucha kar jawab diya.
Magar jab wo larka Sikandar se aur behas karna chahta tha, to side pe kharay Mr. Joseph ne beech mein bol kar roka,
"Jack, ab bas karo. Sikandar ko UWO ne do medals of honor diye hain, tumse to woh kai behtar hai."
"Sir, with all due respect, main ek Awakened hoon aur woh nahi," Jack ne haar maanne se inkaar karte hue kaha.
Mr. Joseph ne gehri saans le kar Jack ki taraf tez nazar daali aur ek teacher ke lehje mein samjhaya,
"Ghouls jaise low-rank Supernaturals ko maarna tum logon ko ek choti baat lagti hogi. Haan, agar Awakened log kisi high-rank Supernatural ko maarein to woh alag baat hai."
"Lekin Sikandar ek normal insaan hai, aur tum sab Awakened ho. Dono ka scale alag hai."
"Jack, agar tum sirf Awakened hone ki buniyad par apne aap ko Sikandar se behtar samajh rahe ho, to kya yeh insaaf hai? Agar waqai behtar banna hai, to kisi fourth-rank Supernatural ko maarne wala third-rank Awakened bano. Kar sakte ho yeh?"
Yeh sun kar Jack chup ho gaya aur be-dili se wapas baith gaya.
Jack ke baithne par Mr. Joseph ne phir se saans bhari aur sir hila kar kaha,
"Is jang ke daur mein, battlefield par zyada tar log fauj se hain – normal log. Sikandar ne ek ghoul ka adda tabah kar ke un laakho logon ki zindagi bachaayi jo warna khatam ho sakti thi."
"Tum sab Awakened ho, lekin apne aap ko khuda na samjho," Mr. Joseph ne sakhti se kaha.
Mr. Joseph ne phir Sikandar ki taraf dekha jo abhi tak class ke beech mein khara tha, aur use ishaare se kaha ke ab wo baith jaaye.
Jab wo students ki taraf dekhta hai, to usay kuch jane-pehchane chehre nazar aate hain.
Darasal, teen chehre usay waqif lagte hain.
University ki seating auditorium jaise ascending style mein thi, is liye Sikandar sab ko clearly dekh sakta tha.
Usay samajh nahi aata ke khush ho ya udaas – Laura aur uska bhai Tom is class mein hain!
Aur jo khoobsurat ladki usne subha jogging ke dauraan dekhi thi – wo bhi yahin hai!
Jab wo sabse upar wali seat lene ke liye chadh raha hota hai,
to wo Laura ki taraf dekhta hai lekin Laura us se nazar chura leti hai. Tom jo uske paas baitha hota hai, ghusse se ghoorta hai. Aur jab wo us khoobsurat ladki ki taraf dekhta hai to dekhta hai ke wo bhi gusse bhari nazar se usay dekh rahi hai.
'Ye woh university life to nahi jo maine sochi thi,' usne soch kar ek halki si thandi saans li.
Wo sabse upar wali corner seat par jaa kar baith jata hai jahan aur koi nahi baitha hota, baaqi students us ke paas bhi nahi aana chahte – jaise wo koi bimari ho.
'Ah... meri university life... chhoro, mujhe bas taqatwar banna hai.'
Jab Mr. Joseph ne dekha ke Sikandar ab baith gaya hai, to usne apna lecture dobara shuru kiya aur Vampire ke baare mein batana shuru kiya – jo Supernatural duniya ke aik bara pillar hain.
Mr. Joseph ne projector chalu kiya aur samjhaya:
"Vampire aik nocturnal humanoid makhlooq hai. Suraj ki roshni mein yeh kamzor ho jata hai, aur chaandi bhi inhein chot pohcha sakti hai. Lekin yeh log badi khatarnaak makhlooq hotay hain – inka husn insaanon ko charm kar leta hai aur ye bohot achhi hand-to-hand combat skills rakhte hain."
Projector par Vampire ka anatomy diagram dikhaya gaya.
Laser pointer se diagram ki taraf ishaara karte hue Mr. Joseph ne kaha,
"Yeh normal insaanon se kai zyada taqatwar hote hain – hatta ke ek normal Awakened se bhi. Is liye har Awakened ko close combat seekhna bohot zaroori hai."
"Magic hamari core strength hai, lekin weapon ka istemaal bhi utna hi zaroori hai. Kuch Supernaturals kuch elements ke liye immune hote hain. Vampire, for example – yeh fire aur water element ke against resistant hain. Agar aap sirf water ya fire Elementalist hain aur weapon use nahi kar sakte to aap mar jaenge."
Mr. Joseph ne students ki aankhon mein dekha aur kaha,
"Aaj sab apni weapon training kareinge. Chalo training hall chalte hain."
Saare students apni seats se uth kar line mein Mr. Joseph ke saath training hall ki taraf chal diye.
Sikandar ne jogging wali ladki ki taraf dekha – usay samajh aya ke wo class ki ya shayad poori university ki sabse mashhoor ladki hai!
Shayad Laura se bhi zyada, agar wo biased na ho to...
Sikandar ki nazar us ladki se mili, kuch seconds ke liye.
Wo ladki usay ghusse se dekhti hai, phir aankhon ka contact tod ke class se bahar nikal jaati hai.
Sikandar ne bhi apna bag uthaya aur nikalne laga.
Tabhi usne dekha ke Tom usay ghusse bhari nazar se ghoor raha tha.
'Yeh mujhe aise kyun dekh raha hai? Maine aisa kya kar diya?' Sikandar ne socha.
Akhir mein wo bhi Tom ko waapas ghoorne laga.
Tom ne halki si muskurahat ke sath usay dekha aur phir nazar hata li – phir class se bahar chala gaya.
Sikandar ne daant bhinchte hue socha,
'Chhoro yaar, mujhe us ladki se baat karni chahiye. Main aise antisocial nahi reh sakta. Yeh wo university life nahi jaisi maine sochi thi.'
Wo tez kadmon se students ke peechay chala, lekin usay wo ladki training hall tak kahin nazar nahi aayi.
Training hall mein aakhir usay wo ladki mil gayi – wo akeli khadi thi.
Zyada students abhi tak nahi aaye thay – to Sikandar ke paas ek perfect moka tha.
Himmat jamaa kar ke Sikandar us ladki ki taraf gaya.
Ladki ne sar uthaya aur usay aate hue dekha, uske chehre par thoda sa confusion tha.
"Hi, kya main tumhara naam jaan sakta hoon?" Sikandar ne muskurate hue kaha.
Ladki ne kuch seconds tak uski aankhon mein dekha, phir thandi si awaz mein bola:
"Adhara Alpenore."
Uski meethi awaz ne Sikandar ke kaanon ko sukoon diya.
"Bohot khoobsurat naam hai... Waise mujhe lagta hai maine pehli mulaqat mein acha impression nahi diya, is liye thoda akela mehsoos kar raha hoon. Kya tum meri dost banogi?" Sikandar ne umeed bhari nazar se kaha.
Adhara ne be-rahmi se poocha,
"Tum sabse ladte kyun ho?"
"Huh? Kya matlab?" Sikandar ne hairani se poocha.
Adhara ne jawab diya,
"Mujhe kal tumhara Laura se baat karte dekhna yaad hai. Tum us se gusse mein thay, wo to samajh aata hai. Lekin tum mujh se bhi gusse mein lagte ho. Tum muskurate ho lekin tumhari andar ki feelings kuch aur kehti hain."
"Main samjha nahi, tum kehna kya chahti ho?" Sikandar ne sachai se kaha.
Adhara thoda hesitant thi, lekin phir usne bataya,
"Main logon ki emotional aura dekh sakti hoon. Tumhari aura sirf laal hai – ghussa aur frustration. To phir tum muskurate kyun ho jab tum andar se jal rahe ho?"
Sikandar kuch keh nahi saka.
Wo aik sanam ki tarah freeze ho gaya.
Yeh ladki koi chudail to nahi?' usne andar hi andar socha.
________
Jesa ke wada kiya tha, 10 updates ho chuki hain. Agla update sirf tabhi aaye ga jab 10th episode par 10 likes ho jaayengi. Jis din 10 likes ho gayin, usi din 11th episode upload kar dunga. Agar 10 likes nahi aayi to story yahin par khatam kar di jaayegi.
Thanks....
