Chapter 4: Tag

Love. What is love? The most philosophical question one can ask? Love, affection, care, attachment, or the name you want to give it. It is that feeling of warmness, compassion, that softness towards someone, or the desires you possess. Or a fetish you have over something for a short time. Let’s say love is a set of emotions and behavior that is indescribable by a creature but shows its affection or care at the same time towards someone. However, it is an experience that has no definition, yet touches us to the very core of our being. It is that abstract piece of art that could only be understood by those who have felt it. Well, many great poets and writers were unable to define love. Who am I to do so? 

At Saumya-van

“Ahh, what was that for?”  I was confused.

He just smirked at me and began laughing. “Awake now? I thought you were sleeping again.” He mocked me. 

His old skin stretched, all the wrinkles which was making his face looks like a bumpy road, were just about to vanish. The way he laughed His laughter was truly demanding, and I wasn’t able to resist it for long, so I accompanied him. We were laughing at the top of our lungs. There was no reason to do so, but it helped me to blow out the helium of my balloon which had me worried about the way I was suffering. 

“So, again home?” Yudh, showed concerns.

“Yes, nowhere else to go.” I said with profound grief.

And his words echoed, in my entire being. My consciousness was shaken, and a nostalgia occurred once again enveloping me into immense thoughts. I was now able to see visions of my father in white uniform of the navy, wrapping my tiny arms around his feet. I think I’m hiding from my mother, after some mischief. And there she was, my mother, I could see her, she is adorned in a sweet maroon sari. It’s a perspective of a toddler, playing with her, as my little hands tried reaching for her face. This all led a smile on my face. 

I remember how Nayan met me. In that weird little classroom, with all that cute little kids trying to annoy me. He came to me like a hero, he was adorable at that time. He was quite tall for that age, I guess. 

Look whose here, it’s Mati, it’s her first day, “Are you new here?” Nayan. 

“Yes” Mati.

 “Wanna eat with us?” Nayan 

“Sure” Mati. 

That’s how we met, and in that moment, we witnessed something that we never can forget. A classmate of ours, tried pulling her hairs. Biggest mistake of his life. She kicked him and it was painful for us to even watch. It is totally where you think. She was a monster in cute disguise. Let me tell you this, it is good that she is our friend.

There were not many people I was concerned about but whom I was, were very dear to me. My action, way of seeing things is just an act of fate. I have no power over my own existence. Pathetic, how helpless I could be. 

“What do you think about the view? It is refreshing, isn’t it?” Yudh asked.

Breaking me from the shackles of circumstance. 

I replied looking towards the sky “Indeed, it is.” 

The beautiful sight of the sky was acting as a blue canvas, consisted of white clouds looking like cotton balls on the canvas. Flying birds added an essence of freedom to the gaze, and the chirp of them was soothing as it meant solely for me. The bright light of the sun was not scorching but rather has a hint of love and wanted us to nurture. It was as white as it could be. It led towards the south. We’ve been settled to the land of pure green, at a distance I could sense cattle, the chime on their necks filled the missing piece of the puzzle. The breeze was the gentle hand of the mother nature, who passionately trying to cuddle with her child. It was gentle and cold. 

The armor I attire was flabby, yet somehow, I was dealing with the weights. Our eyes met, Yudh looked intrigued and concerned at the same time. I had a deep gaze on Yudh’s face, I could sense his aura turning violet, as he was compassioned, and felt the need of being responsible, as if realized the weight I carried within me, the burdens I struggled to bear. I idealize him, he saved me, protected me, he became a shielding force protecting me from any possible harm. I could never let him feel disheartened by my troubles. 

“Don’t wanna talk about it?” Yudh asked with his deep and husky voice. 

Without any verbal response, I nodded my head, refusing to speak. 

The enigmatic stillness which began engulfing the surrounding, is getting dense and heavy with each passing second. Somehow it felt that it is not a natural silence, it’s all made up. This calmness shared a sense of hostility coming towards us. 

“Is there any danger nearby? But why can’t I sense anything?” as I was questioning myself, an arrow came slashing the wind and was about to strike my cuirass. With a swift throw of a mere pebble, Yudh diverted the course of arrow towards the ground. Here we go! He saved me again. 

Yudh was now as calm as a dead sea. No motion, no flow neither an expression on his face. As if he was, analyzing the circumstances. He gazed at the arrow for a second and looked at the forest on the next. I looked at him gleefully, thanking him once again. 

With sparkling eyes, I said “will you stop being stubborn, I could’ve dodged it anyways. However, Thanks.” My expression doesn’t match my words. 

“Sure, kid, you are on your own for this one.” He spoke.

“Which one?” I turned back. However, the target was Yudh this time. 

Some actions happen themselves, so I raised my sword, defending him. He was not willing to move, showed his trust on me. I instinctively slashed the arrow into two pieces. 

He said, “Calm down, kid. No need to draw your sword for this.” 

I was in a state of confusion, “Don’t you think it could have harmed us?” 

“You are in armor, and look at the arrows, they are completely made up of wood, and also look what happen when they hit something.” He explained. With a smirking face. 

“They are not meant to harm us.” He added. 

After he stated it, they were not looking harmful, the only motive these arrows could have filled up was distractions. 

“Oh, come on lad, you know about it.” Yudh whispered.

Upon getting in contact with something, the arrows began to vanish, which signifies that these arrows were casted with a spell. A lower rank yet one useful spell. This specific spell was only practiced by only a single branch of a family which reside in the town. It all makes sense now why he is not worried about it. So that’s it….

As we were discussing about the arrows, here we go again, a zoom came among the trees. So, it is the fauna of the woods, wise decision. This time around Yudh became still, motionless and settled again on the ground and initiated a glaring competition with a straw of a grass. Lying on his left shoulder. Well, it’s not important now. I sliced the incoming arrow into several pieces. 

This somehow annoyed the archer, I guess. There was a rain-pour of arrows. Defending myself from these attacks, I ran towards the direction of the attacks, it initiated a chase between me and the archer. A playful game of tag, making me an ‘it’. Climbing the trees and jumping from branch to branch in an armor was not a nearly good experience, but it became easy after several years of these training sessions given by Yudh. Of course, he trained me, self-defense, hand to hand combat, and mobility for several years.   

After I arrived here, I desired only strength, strength to protect who are dear to me. It drives me crazy, whenever I think how helpless I am. I havnt found a way back yet. My body was weak here, when I was summoned, not because I was a child, but I was more of a coward. I feared everything. However, I’m a different person now.   

The chase continued, with us swinging and dodging each other’s attacks, circling in patterns of jumps and rests, calls and throws. It was a playful game between us, and now it was time to bring it to an end. I thoroughly enjoyed our little game of tag. Yudh was visible, and still stared the grass straw. Thing to notice here, he hadn’t moved an inch, since then. The straw might have possessed something interesting. He was surely relaxed for this kind of situation. And why he wouldn’t be, as he knows who it is. 

I was caught up to it. The game of tag was now over. The ‘it’ had tagged the ‘tagger.’ My drawn sword was pressed against neck of the tagger. Despite she covered her face with a unique flora imprinted mask, only letting her ebony hairs levitate, and allowed a mere glance of her beautifully bright amber eyes, which were asking for mercy. Despite being amber, her eyes held depth that was immeasurable, revealing the secrets of the universe. Her eyes were magnificent, it twinkled like a star. Looking into her eyes felt like gazing into the vast abyss, full of untold story and hidden emotions. Defining it is impossible.

 And her aura was burning saffron. The fire she possessed in herself, was strong enough to burn someone alive but was controlled somehow at the same time. 

She pushed the sword away from her neck, I lend her a hand to help her up. As she grabbed my hand, I felt it’s warmth. She attired a green and black cloths that showed her, skills at camouflage. 

As she removes her mask. Slowly the glimpse of her honey toned skin was revealed, sweating, and turned red, due to chase we had. Her skin glowed with a natural radiance. It carries a softness that invites touch, tempting one to run their fingers along its velvety texture. It was the canvas upon which her beauty is painted, exuding a warmth that is both comforting and enigmatic.

As the breeze flew again her ebony hair waved with it, framing her face with a cascade of a dark allure. It’s lustrous shine, added on to what she already had. Her hairs dances with every movement, creating an aura that wasn’t belonged here, yet surrounded her. 

Her face, oh! It was a living piece of art, a masterpiece carved by divine. Every feature was crafted carefully, as if God themselves had taken part in sculpting her appearance. But it was her smile that truly stole my breath from my lungs. It held a mesmerizing power, capable of melting even the hardest rocks, and her lips curled into a gentle curve, my heart skipped a beat, as if it was struggling to pump the blood rushing to it. It was a moment that could have easily caused a heart attack, yet I welcomed it, for it was a small price to pay to witness this ethereal beauty. 

I truth, mere words can only scratch the surface of her captivating presence. Her beauty is a marvel that defies the explanation, an enigma that leaves one longing for more. She was, without a doubt, a beacon of beauty in the world. 

She carried a bow and arrows, her way of using them was flawless. And it vanished while not is use. She can cast some powerful spells. 

“You won again. Akshar.” She spoke. 

“But you’ve gotten better, impressive! Aadya.” I complimented her.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***