STEVEN

Before leaving for the Kanpur auditorium for the welcoming party of this Steven, he visited Ananya's grave with a bouquet of flowers and her favourite chocolates. After reaching there, he started talking to her stone, explaining how he missed her, and how days have been without her.

I visit your grave, Not because I want to, But because you make me, Your spirit pulls me in, Making me fall into insanity.

"Ananya...I will always love you, you are irreplaceable, and I swear, I am gonna make the person pay whoever did this to you, and I will bring you justice. I love you, sweetheart." With this, he left the flowers and chocolates over there.

As he turned around, he sees her standing in front of him, with a smile so bright and her brown hair so beautifully flowing through the air, her eating chocolates like a little child that he forgets all his pains, and Sumit lost grounds of the reality and was lost in the moment. Ananya slowly came close to him, and whispered in his ears "I will always be by your side, I love you, and I will always protect you. Your life means a lot to me, sweetie."

With this, the vision faded away, and Sumit was back where he was standing. He looked at his watch and quickly hurried to the auditorium. While walking he was wondering whether he really saw Ananya or just an illusion.

He arrived just in time to attend the ceremony, all guests have gathered, all faculties, all senior and junior girls and boys have also assembled. But Sumit was worried since he couldn't find Harsh anywhere, considering his obsession with senior girls. Sanjana also enquired about Harsh, but she got the reply of him sleeping. Amidst all this, trumpets were blowing, and after a little commotion, there came the guest of the hour, Steven D' Jordan, from Canada.

As soon as Steven walked through the stage, he glared at Sumit, and for a split of a second, his eyes turned red. Sumit asked Sanjana and others over there if they saw that too, but no one noticed it other than him. Now, began his welcoming speech.

"Thank you Mr Director of IIT Kanpur for giving me an opportunity to study in this prestigious college of India. I am a replacement student of the second-year student, Harsh, who has left due to prior engagement." Hearing these starting lines, the universe fell upon Sumit and Sanjana, as they saw Harsh only last night, and Harsh never keeps secrets from Sumit, at least.

Hearing this Sumit left his seat and ran towards the dorm, towards Harsh's room, only praying all this to be a dream. But suddenly, inside his head, he heard Steven, voice a little more feminish, saying "Aww, u look cute like your father. Don't panic, Harsh is safe, wherever he is. And I will make sure your life in college will get interesting from now on."

With this, all he heard was the same evil laugh he heard in his dream last night and ran faster to Harsh's room. Upon reaching he knocked the room almost 50 times, then he broke it with a hammer kept nearby. When he opens, he sees the room completely empty, his books, comics, PS4, laptop, his bed, wardrobe, everything was gone.

Suddenly a blue light sparked in him again, and this time, Gopala appeared in front of him. For the first time, Sumit saw Gopala completely. He was a rather stout man, flowing beard, bald head, and slim physique. Gopala said "Son, I am sorry to say that your friend has also been a victim of this trap, this time she imposed as your sister. But he is alive in hell, he is not dead, he can be brought back."

Upon saying this Steven somehow appeared behind both of them, and he breathed fire from his mouth, turning Gopala into nothing less than ash, and blowing him away. After Gopala, he sent fire breathe to Sumit, trying to vaporize him in the same way.

Sumit ran here and there, grabbing objects around and tried really hard to defend himself from the dragon, but couldn't, Steven was powerful. At last, Sumit was cornered, and finally, a rage of fire came to him, but.....all of a sudden it was blocked by some sort of air column, which was able to resist the malicious fire breath.

After looking carefully, he found it was Ananya, with her aura of love, she was able to block Sumit from Steven's attack. But this didn't last long. Steven came forward and broke the shield by a mere punch. Ananya faded away. And Steven grabbed hold of Sumit by his neck and held him up the wall. In the same feminish voice he siad said not yet, you aren't normal kid. Maybe the legend I heard of as a kid are finally coming true. But I will never give you the 'Staff of Abyss', and I feel you are the key to it."

Sumit, in his half, chocked voice...struggling to speak, said "staff....abyss.....what?" and with this Steven slammed Sumit through the ceiling and disappeared from the site. Seeing all this, seeing Ananya trying to protect her, he wondered "are these real?"

Then suddenly a red light flashed through him, and he was in the function all over again, without his injuries. It appears Kanika and Steven have somehow fused together, and they even have the power to manipulate time and reality, and this "Staff of Abyss", this has something to do with him, and Harsh....alive in hell......all these jumbled data never make sense. As Steven completed his speech, he greeted everyone from his 'to be' classmates, even Sumit, with an uncomfortable smirk.

During lunch feast, Sumit pulled Sanjana to the corner and explained everything. Sanjana never believed him, but she knew he wasn't totally lying...and hearing the 'Staff of Abyss', something sparked in her mind.

But it was a very dangerous secret which she must hide from sumit at all cost, even if it demands to sacrifice her life. It isn't something that he must know. So she just moved her head like an idiot, and both returned to the party. Suddenly Sanjana gets a text message from her father. Reading which, tears fell from her eyes.