Yamlok: The Realm Of The Dead

Chapter 7

There were only two souls in the Eka station that towered over Keval. Abhay and a girl called Lavi. She had a square jaw and thin hair that was braided and tucked inside her armour. Her nose was too small for her face but her eyes were large and attentive. She was a head taller than he was and didn't use a talwar. Her weapon was a gada. When he met her, he was taken aback- she was so brash and blunt.

The first soul Abhay introduced him to was his brother-in-arms, Shlok. He wasn't what Keval expected at all. The word that described him perfectly was dainty. He was slender and wielded khukuris. Keval thought it was a joke when Shlok told him that daggers were his speciality. Abhay understood Keval's apprehension and laughed along with Shlok.

'There is no one else I trust to have my back,' Abhay had said while patting Shlok's shoulder.

Lavi was next. One look and Keval knew he had to watch out for her. She screamed challenge more than Abhay did.

He met five others after that.

Surprisingly, they were nice to him. Keval had expected a group of souls that were frigid and haughty. The King of Demons was wrong about them. 

The Eka station treated him with respect and empathy.

It boggled his mind.

Keval concluded that it was too soon to judge. There must be a reason why the Daanavraj hated them. 

Hate always had a reason, like he hated his torturers for ruining him.

The Eka station was like much like the Astha station, but bigger and sturdier. The courtyard was huge. It reminded him of the Daanavraj's courtyard where His Royal Highness' guards practised.

Currently, he was sitting in a corner, on the stone path that bordered the sandy courtyard. He watched closely as Thitiksha and Utkarsha fought. They used kasutari, a short javelin. Keval knew how to use that too but he prefered Sakhi. To him, the talwar was the most efficient weapon.

Shlok sat next to him, 'Hey.'

With some trepidation, Keval acknowledged him with a nod. Shlok seemed to have caught onto the reluctance because he smiled, reassuringly, 'You seem a little jittery. I assure you, they won't come here. They can't so don't worry.'

Keval wanted to say, 'They can go wherever they want,' but he knew better. He simply bobbed his head in reply.

'You don't talk much, do you?'

He shook his head but kept his eyes on the fight that was unravelling before of him. Thitiksha was winning. Her opponent was barely dodging her attacks.

'I'm sorry for bothering you but I really think you need something to distract yourself. What happened was tragic. We'll avenge them but for that, we need to keep a steady mind.' When Keval didn't reply, he continued, 'Those two,' he motioned toward the two souls that were still fighting, 'they're very upset. They don't know how to talk it out so they fight it out. Lavi sharpens her arsenal of weapons when she's upset, Abhay sits in the armoury preferably in solace and I recite the holy scriptures when I'm upset,' Shlok paused. He looked Keval and asked, 'What do you do when you're upset?'

Keval didn't reply. He knew Shlok was looking at him, expecting an answer but he couldn't find one. He wasn't upset. He was enraged. He felt scornful toward himself. Playing their emotions was so unlike him. They'd lost their own. He could see it in their eyes, the anger, the pain, the growing hatred toward whoever had done it.

'Do you want to train?'

This time, Keval looked at the dainty boy sitting next to him. He hesitated before agreeing.