Sharv and Kant were standing at a makeshift bus stand one kilometre away from the military camp. They were under a tin shade beside a tree.
" I was really worried for a second there. I thought I just travelled with a Voidheart." Kant spoke. " You're … not one of them, are you, Ari?" He added.
" I was living with my father just a few days ago. And he said I am not." Sharv answered nonchalantly.
" Yeah." Kant nodded with a wry smile. ' I don't know what the truth is but he seems powerful and he has helped me. Maybe he can help me or the leader in some way if I bring him to our base.' He thought to himself.
" How long will the ride be?" Sharv asked, looking at a red colored bus coming towards them. It hovered above the ground with antigravity.
" The bus moves pretty fast, so about an hour, I think." Kant said while gesturing to the bus to stop.
' Then I will finish reading the diary. Just a few pages remain.' Sharv thought. They entered the bus and Kant took the tickets. The conductor scanned their faces and issued their tickets. Sharv took out the diary as he settled down in his seat.
" What is this, Ari?" Kant asked, looking at the unnamed diary.
" You can say it is a guide book I am supposed to finish before I really start my journey." Sharv said, opening the book.
" Okay then, I'll take a nap while you read." Kant extended his head rest and closed his eyes.
{ THE LAST WARNING} was written on the page Sharv has opened. ' Is this the last lesson for me?' He thought, then started reading.
[ Son, I have already told you every useful technique of KEEPERS. Now is the time for me to tell you about a truth. I feared that you might leave me, for my sake, so I didn't tell you till now but now it is needed.]
'So Father hid something from me' Sharv thought reading these opening lines.
[ When you were born, the tattoo on your chest glowed red, radiating a chilling aura. The midwife couldn't sense your heartbeat. You being completely silent but watching everything with wide eyes didn't help either. They were about to execute you as a Voidheart but somehow your heartbeat came back as the glow of your tattoo dimmed down.]
' So this label has been with me since birth.' Sharv noted to himself.
[We, KEEPERS, live in deep forests to avoid the general populace and any direct confrontation with the government. But the day you were born the village we lived in got attacked by Voidhearts. We were able to finish every single foe but our losses were immense. We were attacked every year on your birthday and results remained the same. After your third birthday, you and by extension we, were excommunicated to keep the village safe. Our people nicknamed you as the HARBINGER OF DEATH. Your mother, on the other hand, gave you the name Àrí Màrdàn as every single enemy was killed in these attacks.]
Sharv, who was reading this, had a calm face as if he was not reading his own past but a poetry. Nobody could guess his internal thoughts by looking at his face.
[ As we moved from one place to another, we found out that almost everyone who came close to you went through a near death experience. Few years later, your mother and younger brother lost their lives in an attack by Voidhearts. In that battle I was injured badly by their cursed techniques and lost control of my Chàkràs. This is the reason every village we lived in, our house was always away from the main village.]
' Now it really becomes necessary to practice solitude and master my breathing technique.' was what Sharv thought after getting this information.
[ Remember Sharv, stay away from the general populace as much as you can and travel only with those who understand death or accept it with an open heart. It might help them survive, just like me. I believe you were born with a power you can't control. So stay safe. Good luck on your journey and don't die before you unravel what you are. ]
Just as he read the last lines, something hit the bus pretty hard shattering the front shields. As Sharv moved his head upwards, he saw a wild Gaur bison was rammed in the front shields of the bus and another one was on the road. The bus was moving through a forest and these beasts jumped in front the bus while fighting. He noticed the reaction of other passengers. They were calm and unbothered indicating the common occurence of such incidents. Then he looked at Kant who was looking at the triangular glass shard which had pierced his seat after scratching his neck.
" I can't go to the next city with you. I will get off the bus before it reaches there." Sharv spoke to Kant in a serious tone which sounded really serious coming from him.
~~~~~~~
Meanwhile at the next city Gate.
" Hello, Commander Sujay."
" Hello Commander Vijay."
Two men greeted each other. They were wearing blackish golden military uniforms with a pitch black overcoat on their backs. The coat had a purple peacock insignia on it, on the outside, above which VOID was written in golden letters. They both had subtle beards with faded haircuts. The only difference was Sujay had a scar above his right ear.
" What do you think, will there be a new addition in our forces today?" Sujay asked.
" That will depend on how that unawakened behaves." Vijay replied. " We don't need weaklings anyway."
Both of them had fifty men behind them, who were wearing golden uniforms with black embroidery and black badges with the same insignia. Vijay turned and addressed them.
" Knights, this might be the last battle you fight," He started, " But remember you are fighting a Voidheart. You will be fighting for your family, your loved ones and humanity. Fight for glory."
" We will fight for glory." The Knights echoed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
After fifteen minutes , Sharv and Kant were looking at the departing bus. They were currently standing outside the forest, which lied in the East to them.
" You too should go, Kant. I will find a place to stay by myself." Sharv spoke.
" NO, you helped me first. Now it is my turn. You don't have a place to stay and I have a safe base. Let me repay your favour." Kant insisted.
As they were talking two figures were watching them from the trees in the Eastern Forest.
" So he is the one we have to capture?" Sujay asked.
" Yes, But who is that boy with him?" Vijay spoke after noticing Kant.
" What does it matter? Just kill him." Sujay said , " Many people die daily anyways."
Vijay started creating a long arrow after finalizing the plan. It was a five-foot-long, metallic black arrow.
He signaled it to move with his finger and it moved without even stirring the air.
In the next second Kant, who was walking on the left side of Sharv, was impaled with the arrow.