Genesis of the Soul

Chapter 5: First Class of Gurukul

Vishwa trudged back to his room after a long, draining session at the council office where he had reported the assault and robbery of him. The walk back felt even longer as an uncomfortable growl erupted from his stomach, vividly reminding him that hunger was creeping in. He thought about Gagan, who was currently busy assisting the council members with their investigation, and felt a twinge of relief that Neel wasn’t in his room at that moment. The last thing he wanted was to feel embarrassed about his stomach growl.

His belongings lay scattered around the room as he rifled through them, hoping to find something to quell his hunger. To his relief, he stumbled upon a packet of biscuits, which would have to suffice for now, even if they hardly qualified as a proper meal. 'But what about dinner? And what about the days to come?' he pondered, the reality of his situation weighing heavily on his mind.

Once he had finished his meagre meal, he decided to head down to the reception area, hoping to find some way to earn a meal from the cafeteria. Approaching the male receptionist, he inquired, “Is there any work I can do to earn money from the Gurukul?”

The receptionist glanced up and replied, “Yes, tomorrow the teachers will post different tasks on the notice board. You can complete those to earn coins.”

Relieved by this news, Vishwa thanked him and made his way back to his room, feeling a bit better about the situation. 'Just one night.'

As evening rolled in, Gagan returned, looking slightly troubled. “Brother, we’ve got a lead—the thief is from Building Two,” he announced, frowning as he spoke.

Vishwa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Is that a problem?” he asked, sensing Gagan’s unease.

Gagan elaborated, “Don’t you know? Building Two is reserved for the Black Soul users. It complicates our investigation since all the council members are ordinary folks without any special powers.”

Neel, who had been listening in, chimed in with a smirk, “In short, they’re just a bunch of bullies. They can’t even tap into their Soul power properly, yet they love to treat ordinary people like they’re nothing, just to feel superior.”

Gagan chuckled at Neel’s words, “Exactly! They turn into mice when they’re in the presence of real soul users. But don’t worry, tomorrow we’ll get to the bottom of this. Today, all the teachers will arrive, and that’ll help a lot.”

Vishwa nodded, feeling a bit more at ease now. “That sounds good,” he replied.

After a while, Gagan left the room to make new friends, and Neel decided to head to the cafeteria for a meal. Left alone, Vishwa thought to himself, ‘I just have to get through tonight. Hey Bhagwaan, make tomorrow better,’ and he settled down, hoping sleep would come easily.

A few hours later, Vishwa was jolted awake by an enticing aroma wafting through the air, a delicious blend of spices that made his stomach rumble even louder. His eyes flicked over to the small table next to his bed, where he spotted five pieces of bread and beans waiting for him. He noticed the room was still empty; Gagan hadn’t returned yet, which meant this feast was Neel’s.

His instinct was to roll over and ignore the food, thinking he’d rather sleep than eat, but his resolve was no match for the smell. Just then, Neel returned and saw the untouched food. “Eat it and return the money later,” he instructed, a hint of authority in his tone.

Caught off guard, Vishwa hesitated. “Isn’t that yo—”

Neel cuts him off, “I’ve already eaten,” he stated firmly before stepping out of the room, leaving Vishwa with the delicious food that could save him from the night of hunger.