My first year and my second year went by normally. Well, normally for everyone except me, that is. It was pressure. A lot of pressure. Always standing first in my class guy like me had been relegated to the backbench. Everyone was insanely smart here, with a percentage that challenged the clouds.
My insecurity evolved to an inferiority complex and then to depression. In my suicidal haze, I started skipping quizzes and exams. That's when an email came.
Unread mails-
Call for student senate nominations.Gas Leak at the Earth Science lab.Removal from Graduate Project.Student Discount on AI software.
Our HOD had removed me from a necessary project due to inactivity. This somehow managed to spring me into action for an hour or two.
I dressed up, washed my face and set out to his office. Today was a Saturday, and he expressly forbade us from meeting on Saturdays. But honestly, I knew that if I didn't do this today, my depression wouldn't let me gather enough courage for later.
So, I went ahead anyway.
His lab was abandoned, but his office had lights on. So I knew he must be around here somewhere. It had a glass door that was wide open, So I walked in and sat down.
I hadn't waited long when voices came down the hall.
"How could you have been so stupid, Jaishankar!"
"I apologise, Rajkumaari(Princess), but the Runes exploded due to age. There was not much I could do."
"The maintenance of those Runes is your responsibility, It is your literal job. You can forget about your mantripad. (Mantri - Minister Pad - post) And where is this second location of yours?"
"Yes, ma'am, it's right here in my lab. It has the largest number of magic stabilizing arrays after the awakening room in the Earth Science Building."
I instinctively ducked and hid. The HOD was acting like a little obedient servant in front of this girl my age. And I was pretty sure I was not supposed to hear what was being said. Two strong men came in carrying two boxes of vials and kept them right outside the office gate.
Their retinue now had around 15 people in total.
Professor Jaishankar turned around and said something in what seemed like Sanskrit. And the whole of the sophisticated instruments and tables in the lab started moving by themselves. They flew into a broom closet that shouldn't have held all of those things, leaving behind nothing but clean grey walls that were lined with strange glowing golden runes. The windows on the side had converted themselves into walls at some point when I was debating if I was high. The small hall expanded magically and now looked like an assembly hall fit for around 300 students.
"You two, go stand outside and make sure nobody but the selected comes here. This place has no detection arrays. So stay sharp!"
Two of the men nodded and left as the princess raged. "No detection arrays? I thought you said that this place was secure!"
"It is, princess! It's just that I was working with a new kind of detection array, and I didn't want to have interference. But honestly, the real things that we need, the stabilizing arrays? They are the finest you will ever see. Besides, we can just wipe out any idiots that come by."
That made me gulp. Wipe out? What the hell? Does he mean kill? How is this Dumbledore shaped professor acting like fucking Voldemort?
"Very well, bring the potential Recruits."
"Yes, ma'am."
Around Two hundred of my batch mates entered the huge lab from one side.
"An even two hundred Rajkumari."
"That's a lot, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's the blood moon, Rajkumari. We expect a better harvest. So I brought some with lower potential too."
"I see. Good."
The professor rubbed his hands with a sleazy smile.
Jitesh walked up to the front. "Excuse me, sir, but why are we all here?'
"Oh, don't worry, Jitesh. You are all here to try out a new energy drink. Give it to 'em."
The other 'mages' nodded and began handing out vials from the boxes, which the students took with an unsure look in their eyes. That's when I noticed. These were all toppers in their branches. Or at least the smart ones. The cream of the crop. So instinctively, I decided to swipe up a bottle when distraction arose.
Which happened soon. "Sir, I have medical conditions. I wish to withdraw from this study.'
"You can do this with medical conditions. In fact, it will be better for you. It is all permitted and approved."
"Even so, sir. I wish to withdraw."
He tried convincing him for a few exchanges. But he just wouldn't listen. Worse yet, the other students began joining him.
In the end, I saw my kindly professor's expression twist in rage for the first time in a flash. As if he finally had enough.
"You can't back out, you are already here!"
Jitesh was indignant. "What do you mean? We have rights!"
The professor suddenly grabbed the air in front of him and raised his fist. Jitesh was flung five feet into the air with his legs flailing.
"You damn cockroach! Can't you understand that we are giving you a chance to become something better than you are! DO you really need to be so ungrateful?"
And under the horrified gazes of us all, Jitesh got crushed into meat paste.
"Anyone else with an opinion?"
It took a moment for everyone to process the mush of blood and flesh that Jitesh was before the screaming and panic kicked in.
I too froze for a moment, but just as everyone was distracted. I swiped up a bottle of that glowing blue liquid. Yeah, I had survival instincts of a rabid monkey.
Another Sanskrit spell. This time, by the girl they were calling the Princess. A wave spread out in all directions, and everyone, including me, froze. I wanted to move, but no matter what I did, I couldn't. It was as if my body ha suddenly become physically incapable of moving.
"Why do you insist on making a mess of everything. Just immobilise them. They are magic-less and thus have no resistance to magic."
"AH, yes, I might have gotten a bit carried away. I apologise, Rajkumari."
"You all, continue distribution."
The mages continued to put the vials in the hands of the frozen student. I couldn't see, though. I found out later.
"Will we have enough Sujan?"
"Yes, Rajkumari, we brought two boxes, that is 200 doses. Lord Jaishankar brought 200 students. We will have to restock before leaving for the next stop though."
She chuckled. "Happy coincidences, huh?"
And then they left us frozen as they waited for the blood moon to rise. "Don't worry, kids, the spell will wear off by the time of the ceremony. And you'll have enough time to dedicate to thinking about the consequences of your actions."