Chapter 14 : Anomaly hypothesis

Yash bakshi had landed on the site to find Butterfly just sitting there with two students still unconscious by her side. He could sense Fakhar's aura depleting from a pile of ash.

"Who did this?"

"Someone powerful enough."

"I see."

"After the next wave, I am leaving lions." Said Nandini as she took the two students and walked towards the helicopter.

"Is there any way I can change your mind?"

"No."

"Then there is no point in trying" Yash adjusted his fedora and said, "Is that person really that important to you?"

Nandini kept walking with no answer but Yash understood the answer. 4 years ago she had joined lions after failing in the raid. She chose to fight the demons because she had something to fight for, a regret that had haunted her 4 years. for 3 years she had fought with the association but after the Andaman raid she had lost all hope. that's when Yash gave her the chance to get stronger with lions and help people at the same time, she had lost her will to fight but that regret kept her going till now.

Yash's phone began to ring as he was checking the ash that once had created dread in Nandini's mind.

"Yes.

What!

I will get there as fast as I can."

'So it's happening finally.' he thought as he kept the phone back into his pocket and headed back to the helicopter.

_____

Back in the apartment Krishna was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Anika rolled in on a wheelchair. Krishna had carried her back directly to the college hospital. they had done the casting and all but now the healing depended on her. Krishna would still help her heal, speeding up the process as with the cast on it was a simple healing without a need of reducing the bone to its original. Krishna could do the process more efficiently now as he had already spent a full sleepless week moulding her foundation, so he had a pretty good idea of what he had to do, it would still take a week to do the job perfectly though.

"I should make the food today." Said Anika looking at the Krishna who barely responded to her entry.

"No need for that I will bring some on my way home."

"So you will be staying out today too?"

"Yes, I have work."

Krishna would not tell her where is what was his work but Anika knew he would meet Nandini everyday since they had been back. She would still try to keep a sober face as every-time, just when she needed him the most he was leaving but how could she complain about that when he had saved her twice and had stopped her from nearly killing a person in her continuous pursuit of strength, she was indebted to him for giving her the chance to even have a pursuit. so she would give the faintest of smile and say

"Ok."

_____

President Sardar was sitting in his office as the doctor checked his blood pressure, he took his file and saw the ECG and TTE reports attached in them and said with a sigh, "You need to take some rest President sir, you can't overexert yourself like this. every time I see your reports it makes me wonder how can you even be alive with your lifestyle."

The president rolled his sleeves back and put back his coat as he said, "Please doctor call me by my name, I can't have my saviour call me by honorifics."

"That is not what I am saying, Don't avoid the topic Pre...Mr Sardar."

"I am sorry doctor as much as I respect you, I can't do what you say in this case. Till the day I can make a difference, I am alive and if I don't do my work then my existence becomes meaningless."

The doctor sighed again as he put back his instruments in his briefcase and stood up, "Then at least leave the heavy lifting to the ones that can do it, will you? I can't have a man like you dying any-time soon. I will be scheduling an angiographic study for you next week if it suits your time table."

"I will be sending you a preferred time doctor, I am sorry to cause you inconvenience."

As soon as the doctor walked out Ram entered the office, he kept a file on the table with his bandaged right hand. President took a glance at the file without picking it up and said,"Are these numbers?"

"Yes sir."

The president took the file and sifted through a couple of pages.

"Can you leave me alone for some time Ram."

"Sir, I will be needing your signature to send a report to the association."

"Don't worry about it, I will send the report myself."

Ram looked down for a moment and said,"Alright sir." and he left the room with his unwavering discipline.

_____

Krishna and Nandini were sitting at the riverfront, it was dark and the multicoloured lights reflecting from the water created a romantic atmosphere. It was not like they were alone there. Unlike Krishna, Nandini was quite a famous woman so obviously there were many eyes shifting towards them from time to time. Nandini had learned to get used to some things while Krishna could barely care. but there were some talks he could make out about people speculating who could he be.

Krishna was looking at the stars when Nandini jolted him and leaned on his shoulder. "You know, you haven't changed that much. Always into your own world, never able to speak your mind truly. Even in high school you had trouble asking me on a date and I was your girlfriend."

"I am sorry, I just have some things in mind."

"I know." Said Nandini holding on to Krishna's arm,"I know it has been a long time but I thought you died because of me that day. my affinity awakened and that kept me alive but when I opened my eyes, you were gone. for some time they tried finding you but they were soon convinced you were dead. it took me time but I made my peace with that fact too and started fighting with those things that took you from me. my eyes could not believe that I was seeing you standing up and saving me again. I guess some roles never change."

She made her grip tighter. When she remembered him carrying Anika on his back some part of her ached but she was not so cruel that she would not want Krishna happy. Nandini knew Krishna felt that he owed her enough to come meet her everyday but she understood somewhat what Krishna could be facing in his mind.

She always felt a little left out as even back then he would swallow his pain and push through. That was also a reason she fell for him, a person that always reminded her to keep going when in real she wanted to give up so many times when things got harder. In a way the girl Krishna respected was his own creation. she would tell him that it was because of him but Krishna would always smile and say it was always her even if we have light to help us find ourselves it doesn't change the fact it was us all along. But now she had not seen him smile even once like that, maybe that had changed but she also believed that part of Krishna was still inside in the dark and all he needed was some light. For all her aches she knew she had to say it, "You should not avoid Anika, You need to face it one way or another."

_____

Anika was brought to their regular cafe by Reema the next day just so she could get out of the apartment. Reema wanted to treat Anika and lighten up her mood a little as she knew how bad it can get being in a wheelchair all day.

She brought her Favourite sandwich and said,"Don't worry about calories we gonna burn them off as soon as your legs get good."

Anika's face was still down as she gave no reply.

"Why don't we let you speak this time."

"I don't have much going for me, sometimes it feels wrong trying to be strong."

"Then don't. You should always express yourself, that's what I do to keep my stress away."

"I try at times to start a conversation but it's like nothing fazes him. How can he be like that."

Reema sighed as she took a sip of her cold coffee and said, "Both of you are thick headed, don't create a mask no one can see beneath, one of you needs to talk at least."

_____

Rajdeep was training in their special fortified training room which was empty for now as there were still 3 days left until their internship was over officially. Rusjeet singh had been told of Rajdeep so he had come to meet him.

"The best way to learn something new is to try it against someone who can respond against it."

Rajdeep was sweating as he had been punching with his gauntlets on for about 2hour straight. He knew he still had a long way to go. This time he knew his way unlike the last time but nevertheless the journey does not become easy even though you know the way.

"Krishna sir made taught us just with that method since the beginning."

Rusjeet singh waved his hands and looked around saying, "I don't see him around now, why don't you try me."

Rajdeep stopped his punching took some breaths, "Are you sure?"

"Let me see I wanna taste how your strength has evolved," Said Rusjeet as he took a defensive stance.

"Here goes nothing then," Said Rajdeep as the gauntlets transformed and went to his shoulders and an aura with reddish hue started oozing out of them.

He charged into Rusjeet with all his might, Rusjeet had tested him in his old strength but ever since he had started training with his new ones he had not tested himself against him even once, he expected for Rajdeep to have grown to great length but what he got was highly unexpected. He was tossed all the way to the wall with the sleeves of his shirt ripped to shreds and his hands bruised. He felt lucky no bones were broken but the push back had even hurt his back creating cracks in the fortified wall that self healed with the power of demon crystals.

"That sure is some punch you pack there." Said Rusjeet as he crackled his bones to get everything straight back to normal.

Rajdeep stood a little surprised as he retreated his gauntlets and said, "I guess Krishna sir is just a little exceptional for an A rank, He had no problem taking on even powerful punches head on."

"He must have some defensive abilities but I am sure I can take you on alone in a fight too."

"Oh no, we never fight one on one."

Rusjeet singh a bit surprised on this part too asked,"What do you mean by that? He still fights with you all at the same time?"

Rajdeep chuckled and said, "I am not the best at fights but I know a fight if I see it and what Krishna sir does can barely be called a fight. All we had to do until now was to destroy the chair he used to sit on. By now we have managed to make him get up and defend the chair but if I was to go one on one I can't even think of touching the chair."

Rusjeet singh had a hard time believing that Krishna being an A rank could stand against 3 hero class and 3 unusually strong Raiders. He was aware of the fact that skill gaps matter but most of the time power gap is the only thing that matters. He was a very skilled A1 rank and he was confident he could take on someone in A rank but going against even S1 ranks among heroes was a pain in the ass for him too.

In heros the power gaps are massive so if he was going against S2 he would not even hope of defending himself. For sure there are always exceptions and the only one he knew of that could leap through on the basis of his type of power and sheer skill was Yash bakshi the lion himself. The leader of the Tigers guild which dominates in eastern side of India who happens to be an S4 rank and nobody could call him unskilled by any nature was rumoured to have secretly battled the Lion once on the dispute of territory. He had heard that the lion showed him who was the true king of the jungle and ever since then the tigers have never meddled in western side. Though it was a rumor Rusjeet singh had gotten that info from a reliable source and He had no trouble believing in the rumor because anyone who had seen the lion in battle would never doubt of his dominance.

Rajdeep who had been standing there as Rusjeet singh took his pause and went into thinking Asked what had been eating his mind "Sir, I wanted to ask you about the Anomaly hypothesis."

"So you read about it too?"

"How can you not, it's everywhere on the internet."

"Well, it is a hypothesis, but it does work for the most part, we just don't have enough incriminating data. It is said to be a drag phenomenon. According to the theory when one very powerful Demon is coming into this world there is a spike in the number Anomaly gates that come before it having lower class demons compared to the intended one. Just before the arrival of the Demon other gates stop appearing, it's like a silence before the storm and then comes destruction." Rusjeet singh went close to Rajdeep and wrapped his hands around his shoulder and said.

"Why don't you tell me something more about your Krishna sir, you have surely caught my attention there."

_____

Krishna came home and went directly for the bed and asked Anika to wake him up after she eats to start the healing. He was lying in bed with the intention of getting a shut eye but it never came to him as his thoughts had overtaken his mind. He felt the chain around him tighter than ever before. For hours he tried to sleep but to no avail.

Then the light of the room got on as he kept pretending to sleep. He could hear the movement of the wheels but he wasn't going to wake up until woken up, he felt like his ruse will be exposed if he were to wake up. The wheels moved from one side of the bed to another and stopped.

Anika got on the bed and turned the lights off. She made sure Krishna was still asleep and cuddled him. Krishna could feel his shoulder get wet from tears as Anika softly spoke, "Why are you like this? It's not just you who feels pain you know." Anika was sobbing as she spoke in a struggle again making sure if Krishna is asleep, "He was my father too. You can't blame yourself for everything like this. Don't put me more in your debt than I already am. Let me feel guilty too. If I was not like this then you wouldn't have to worry about me and you would have been here to save him. I know I am stubborn for the wrong reasons, you can't take that regret away from me. What's ironic is that he was the one person in this house that knew exactly how to handle this situation. I just wish I had a chance to go back in time and at least get one chance to tell him how much I love him and how much he means to me. I promise to not make any more stupid promises anymore, just give him back...oh god if you even have the slightest of mercy then please...give him back."

Krishna did not move from his place as Anika sobed and cried. He had no reply, he was blaming himself attaching the chain of regret to his fighting again. He felt like turning back and embracing Anika and letting himself cry but it would be the most selfish thing he thought he could have done. How stupid was he to not see beyond the mask of strength that Anika put on every single day since they came back and faced him. He was denying her the right to even mourn by taking away all the regrets so the least he could do was let her cry to her heart's content while he himself shed tears and let the chain that always pulled him back get a little loose.

_____

Next morning When Anika woke up she dragged herself on to the wheelchair and went to the bathroom to wash the dried tears on her face. When she came to the living room where Krishna was setting up breakfast. He turned back with a smile and said, "I may not be the best but you will surely like this one, It's my favourite that my mom used to make, she taught me how to make them and she was the best but you can enjoy the second best." Krishna rubbed his chin and said, "Let me get the sauce, why don't you start eating."

Anika went to the table and saw it was not a very well made onion and tomato pudla. Krishna came and sat beside her and rubbed his hands in excitement. "Bon appetité." Anika actually had the better one when she looked at what Krishna had in his plate he ate it and tried to pretend it was good but it was surely not working. He threw in his napkin in and said, "I am sorry, it can't be as good."

Anika held his hand and said, "Don't worry, it will get better with time, I will help you."

_____

President Sardar was typing his report for the incident that happened in ahmedabad. As per the Anomaly hypothesis after a 7 day period a gate appeared in the Naroda region of ahmedabad. Along with some low class demons appeared an S5 class demon from the type 1 anomaly gate and about 98% of the human population in a 3 km vicinity was eradicated. Smaller guilds were called in to facilitate evacuation procedure while the people awaited the arrival or heroes that could handle the beast. Ram Rathod an available S1 rank volunteered to hold of the demon until the evacuation was completed. The guilds that came were too afraid of the demon's presence and only evacuated the outer most regions. Only a few brave souls chose to enter the inner regions for the sake of people.

Ganesh was looking at the old photos when the recieved a call from his usual guild for help. He left for the area but none of the guild members joined him when he chose to go deeper. He had managed to clear off 5 buildings and smaller pols having many families and children.

He was about to go when he noticed a girl on the roof of a building trying to call for help. The floors below were on fire so she was stuck there. Ganesh managed to get on the top but the fight has started to shift to their side and the building gave out.

Ram Rathod had tried his best but the demon was beyond him, all he could do was change the direction of his attacks. Then came President sardar who had finally decided he can no longer watch and he has to fight even if it means dying in the process. Ram's subordinate tried to stop the president in his way, "Sir it's an S5 rank you need to get away from here to as safe place."

President moved the junior aside and went ahead towards the demon.

"You should not worry about the fighting power of the president, He may be old but if it came to just raw power he is currently they strongest hero in the country He has also had some training in fencing in his younger days but if only it was not for his health that man could even be the best hero there is."

As the junior saw President taking off his tie and walk towards the rampaging demon, He waited to see the man that was described to him as the strongest in the country and he was not disappointed. Even though the big flash of light had interrupted his sight, It only took one blow for an S5 Rank demon Giant that had killed many heroes and civilians since his arrival to be beheaded by bare hands of an old man they called president.

When the rubble was sifted through they found Ganesh with his shield still active that protected the young girl inside it. He kept smiling at her all the time while holding on to whatever Aura he could muster up and putting it around the little girl who was afraid. It looked like he was alive but when they checked his pulse was body had turned cold a long ago but the smile still remained on him as rigor mortis that kept giving warmth to that girl in her worst nightmare.

President Sardar had completed his report. Generally all reports had to be written with only facts in them but the president could not keep himself back from putting in his emotion in the final sentence that said 'That day, we lost many heroes.'