1 - escape from ordinary.
The cafeteria smelled like reheated samosas and cheap perfume—an oddly familiar combination that clung to Arya’s hoodie as she made her way to her usual corner table.
St. Elora’s College of Arts and Technology was known for two things: an excellent placement rate and mysteriously frequent power cuts. Neither impressed Aarya. She had transferred here mid-semester, a quiet girl with sharper instincts than she let on, blending into the background like wallpaper.
Every day followed the same pattern—8 AM lectures, sleepy notes, lunch alone, and hours in the library pretending to study while secretly sketching medieval daggers and mythical beasts in the margins of her notebook. Her professors called her distracted. The truth was: Aarya wasn’t bored. She was waiting.
Waiting for something to pull her out of the ordinary.
Her life had too much silence between conversations. Too many unsent texts. Too many thoughts no one asked her to share.
Until that Tuesday.
---
It started with a poster.
Pinned to the rusting student notice board beside the auditorium, the neon-colored flyer read:
> 💀 “Dare to enter the realm? Download the underground beta of Divine Sword now. One world. One fate. One winner.”
A QR code blinked beneath the text. Barely visible.
“Probably another rigged RPG,” muttered a senior passing by.
But Aarya was already scanning it.
Aarya
Isn't it just a game?
Aarya
*half a way into scanning while thinking*
*Notification* The "Divine world" application installing.....
Aarya
*Sigh* it's just a game I am already bored to the core....
Aarya
I'll delete after I am bored with this game too.
Aarya
Aish!!! Am late for the lecture damn...
Aarya
*keeps her phone in pocket and runs to lecture*
Aarya sits next to khushi her one and only bestie
Khushi
Ma'am? Where were you?
Aarya
Aree I was reading something on notice board and then-
Aarya
*got interrupted by Jack*
Jack
And then madam was planning how to get top rank again for this semester isn't it? *chuckles*
Both khushi and Aarya chuckled
Aarya
Seriously!!! Am so done with this academic pressure!! 😭
Aarya
When I'll be free from this curse?
Jack
Maybe next life? *says in sarcastic*
Khushi
Aye shu- professor came shu *whispers and makes both sit properly and stop talking*
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