Love: The Poisonous Nectar

Assayah and Samantha started to meet frequently and almost had a "special" moment, but Samantha backed off. Samantha was interested in Assayah, but she also wanted to see boys of her own age. Assayah was not that old but his grey hair didn't seem much comfortable to Samantha. Assayah knew that Samantha was not looking much at him and these small meetings and dates can be over anytime soon. He for the first time in his life, didn't want to manipulate Samantha into loving him, partially because manipulating love will be a false feeling and also because he wanted to win Samantha's heart faithfully. He called her number two times but she didn't respond. He threw the phone on the bed and poured some whiskey in a glass and drank it hastily. He looked at his watch and realised that he was sitting in his room for more than two hours, entangled in Samantha's thoughts. He opened his laptop and looked for the news. His eyes stopped at a headline. He opened the headline and read, "Famous businessman and industrialist, Mr. Jonathan Lewis Watwell is currently on the run after the sudden cancellation of the Inter State Fighting Tournament hosted and legalized by renowned martial artist and sports philanthropist, Tyson Lee. Tyson Lee himself is absent from the tournament and his family and management both are unaware of his whereabouts. Many are claiming to see Mr. Lee in the hotel one day before thirteen dead bodies were found in the Hotel Eden Garden. He was very fast and only a slight resemblance can be seen in the CCTV cameras of the hotel. Many renowned fighters like Biba Blaze, Sasha Glassy and Biba's manager Sara was found dead in a locker room where she was heavily beaten and raped by the assailants. Doctors later confirm that she was four months pregnant and the main cause of her death was the burst of the womb. The news was conveyed to her family members who claim that she was not married and don't know about the baby's father. Alexa Sandra gave her condolences to all the dead people's families and wished for their mental well-being. She demanded a strict and effective investigation on the matter and asked for special officers from the US government. She denied any involvement with Mr. Lee in the massacre when asked but said that Mr. Lee was actually quite tensed when he got to know that many fighters were fighting for money to treat their sickness, he himself gave a huge amount of funds to their families. He looked for the best of his employees and never would do anything to hurt them, let alone kill them mercilessly. Alexa Sandra was booked to fight the finalist of the tournament and she wished her best for the people who were eagerly waiting for the match. Famous human activist, Ms. Sushmita Chakraborty was arrested last night when she protested in front of the Parliament and asked for the death penalty for all the people involved in the incident, both directly and indirectly. When interviewed she said, "These people are brutal animals. Total cannibals. They consider human lives as a commodity they can buy and sell. I have always condemned these nonsense tournaments for its brutal and non-humane nature and today my words have come true. The brutal murders that happened in the hotel was just a tip of the iceberg and the real problem is still neglected very shamelessly. If there were no such tournaments, then there would be thirteen more lives amongst us today. Mr. Watwell and Mr. Lee are just small pawns in this game, the big ones are the legalized criminal organisations that we call "government". They very discreetly license these tournaments under the pretext of encouraging youth towards sports and physical development, but in reality, they are just selling those innocent kids' skills to fill their pockets. These inhumane killers have no mercy, no guilt nor any fear of punishment because they have perfectly known that they are immune to all these allegations. My arrest today is just the naked evidence of the immoral judicial system of the United States of America. Till we don't open our eyes and see the real truth about these animals, they will keep on tormenting us." Ms. Chakraborty has been fined ten thousand dollars and sentenced to two weeks of imprisonment for throwing stones on a guard of the Parliament. That's all for today. Thank you for reading. I wish you a very good morning and have a nice day ahead." Assayah shut the laptop and sighed.

Assayah poured another glass of whisky and drank it hastily. He mumbled, "When will these idiots stop irritating me with their foolish decisions and for how long I have to face the consequences of their actions?" Assayah poured another glass and drank it hastily. A female entered his room and said, "I didn't know that my friend had turned into an alcoholic?" Assayah turned back and smiled. The lady standing behind him was his old friend and mentor, Novaria. She is Abigail's mom and an elite and shrewd politician. Assayah learned many of his tricks from her only. Assayah hugged her and asked, "What brings you here?" Novaria smiled, "A little business and a little nostalgia." Assayah gave her a glass of gin and said, "Yeah. Mixing profession with pleasure has become our life now. But, one thing is good about this way and that is that we can easily stay away from any suspicious eyes." Novaria said, "Kenchi has changed many things in the Monastery. Earlier, the tax system was quite flexible mostly because Bacca never cared about any money as he rarely asks about anything. But, Kenchi is now tightening us with his strict and painful ways of tax collection. He has now restricted the previously prominent luxury services that were provided to mentors and old guys who are too sick and weak to do physical or desk jobs. Now, Kenchi executed all the old guys and has implemented new rules that exclude the privilege. So, here I am. Working on a small project alongside you." Assayah asked, "Alongside me?" Novaria said, "Not all the time. Your role will be more of an advisor and supervisor rather than a partner." Assayah smiled, "Kenchi is a pesky idiot. His passion is to torture people with his new-new idiotic ideas. If Bacca hadn't secluded me from the Monastery, then I would have kicked him out of the Monastery a long time ago. Ignore him. He will soon forget these schemes and will get busy with something more idiotic." Novaria said, "In one way, he has done the right thing only. Executing the old guys lessens the burden for all of us. Now, we don't have to clean the dirty piss and faeces of the sick and crippled people. Those habits have killed more young people than the old. But, again Kenchi is quite maniacal and we cannot trust him and follow him blindly." Assayah smiled, "Actually the problem was never Kenchi. He has a more direct approach to the problems than Kayuba and me. His solutions are also quite plain and tasteless. So, it is natural for you to detest him." Novaria said, "You should be the successor. Good or bad, but between you, Kayuba and Kenchi, I vote for you. You are the most intelligent guy I have ever known. You have spent a good amount of your life between mortals and therefore your experience is way more than Kayuba and Kenchi. Again, you are a master of manipulation so rarely anyone will have any complaints against you."

Assayah said, "Experience doesn't matter a shit in the Monastery. I was commanded to stay between mortals and that is what I will have to continue doing for the rest of my life." Novaria smiled, "You shouldn't think like that. Once you say you are going to be the new Master, everyone will come in support of you." Assayah asked, "Why are you supporting me so much? Your son was Kenchi's apprentice, not mine." Novaria said, "My son made a mistake in choosing his master. I won't repeat the same mistake. Kenchi has to go." Assayah said, "That's impossible." Novaria asked, "Why?" Assayah said, "Because I fucking love someone." Novaria said, "Love someone? Who is she? A mortal or a ghost? Don't say she is a demon." Assayah said, "She is a mortal. Her name is Samantha." Assayah narrated the whole story. Novaria said, "Even if your feelings are true and honest. I don't think Samantha will be ready to love a demon like you. Your relationship is not compatible with humanity." Assayah said, "If compatibility was determined by origin differences, then Abigail wouldn't have been born?" Novaria said angrily, "How can you even compare your situation with mine? Abigail's father was a good man. He loved me and I loved him dearly. But, Bacca never agreed to our relationship and killed my love. I wanted to kill myself too but I was pregnant. He knew my identity and still accepted me." Assayah said, "Abigail's father was a ghost. He was an evil dictator who was exiled in the depths of the Himalayas and that's why Abigail was born a demon rather than a mortal." Novaria said, "My chapter is closed years ago. But, don't repeat the same mistakes that I did." Assayah said, "Even if it is a mistake, I'm ready to do it." Novaria said, "You will regret it later." Assayah smiled, "The biggest regret is not regretting anything." Novaria laughed, "Say it after you start regretting it." She hugged him and disappeared in invisible smoke. Assayah sighed, "No matter what I say. She is somehow not entirely incorrect." He poured a glass of whisky and drank it.

Samantha was sitting on the sofa, partially listening to the conversation and partially trying to think about Assayah. Peter Walschmidt, Samantha's cousin and the current leading candidate for the upcoming Mayoral election after Mr. Watwell became a fugitive. Many people like reporters, money lenders, friends, rivals and enemies tried to contact Cindy but Elgin hypnotised her and took her to the Kingdom for her safety. Elgin's house was beneath the land, so Kystion and his ogre army couldn't find them. Samantha looked at her cousin who was quite tensed and also quite happy at the same time. Mr. Watwell's recent negative publicity has benefitted him quite a lot, but again when Ms. Chakraborty accused many big names of being connected with Mr. Watwell and Mr. Lee, Peter's dreams of a clean victory has gone down the drains. Open protests and riots have started in some small parts of the US and many have lost their lives in these stupid riots. The media have put all the death toll on the heads of the people whom Ms. Chakraborty indirectly named. Walschmidt looked at Samantha who was busy in her own reverie. He slammed her head angrily on a cushion and said, "Stop chatting with your boyfriend. And concentrate on my words." Samantha said, "But, you haven't spoken a single word since the last twelve minutes. Walschmidt said, "You were talking about someone who can fix my problem. Who is he?" Samantha said, "I don't know his full name. But, he calls himself Assayah." Walschmidt said, "Assayah? That dark soul. How do you know him?" Samantha narrated the whole story. Walschmidt asked, "So, you are dating him?" Samantha said, "Not really. But, he seems interested in me." Walschmidt said, "I would have advised you to stay away from him. But, if he is an ally to me in such difficult times, then it is a good thing. Date him and make him happy. When I become the Mayor, you will dump him and start dating Carlos Tarkovsky, the son of President Heinrich Tarkovsky. It will highly benefit my position and cement my way to the Deputy President post." Samantha asked, "What if Assayah gets to know about it?" Walschmidt said, "You have to convince him that you are genuinely not interested in him. If Assayah gets to know the truth, he won't be merciful." Samantha asked, "What does Assayah do exactly as a profession?" Walschmidt said, "That's none of your business, cousin. You can ask him if you want, but I can't risk my life." He hastily went outside the room. Samantha sighed and looked at her phone. The notifications of Assayah's missed calls were still flashing on her lock screen. She picked up her phone and dialled Assayah's number.

Assayah looked at his phone and turned off his phone. Assayah realised that extending the relationship with Samantha would be bad for both them and Assayah failed that the day their relationship breaks, he won't be able to handle himself. And also, now with Xao Chang's arrival coming so near, he wanted to keep himself in Xao Chang's good books so that when the time to select the commander of his army comes, Assayah will become the first priority. Assayah finished the whole bottle and smashed it on the ground. He stood on the broken pieces and slowly endured the pain as he blocked Samantha's phone number. He screamed and screamed as his feet leaked blood all over the floor...