Chapter 66: Doon Valley

William said Gate 6 would be a straightforward task. A simple but long and hard monster extermination for the sake of protecting an impoverished village. William mentioned his head hurt, but other than that, the main objective went smoothly. Spawning in, Elena immediately groaned from the foul stench. Kazi smelled it too but wasn’t too bothered. Instead, he glanced between the mission pop-up and his environment.

[ Gate 6 : Doon Valley

SCENARIO: Leave or figure out what to do. ]

’Sun-young said it would take a while before the monsters appear. Upwards of an hour, specifically. What to do, what to do…’

While thinking, he blinked and double-checked his surroundings. The mountain range along with the temperature and air…

“I knew it.” Kazi snapped his fingers. “I’ve been here before. We’re in Rikhauli!”

“I’m gonna pretend where that is,” David said.

The mountains did not precisely match his memories. Rikhauli was on the mountains yet this area was seated lower, not on a sloop but smackdab between the mountains. Still, he recognized the base area and its surroundings, and feeling the stares of the people, he started helping. The complexion, the distinct facial features, it was the same as what he was acquainted with. It was an instinctive reaction, going up to a nearby child, opening up his inventory, and handing over food. It was second nature. It was nauseatingly familiar.

“For me…?” the child asked. “R-really?”

Back to the usual. Back to this. Back to feeding those who couldn’t feed themselves. Back to seeing their astonishment and their dash of hope. Kazi forced a smile and nodded. “Your name?”

The child licked his dry lips. “Raj.”

“For you, and for everyone else too.” Kazi offered him a banana.

“Err, Kazi?” David put a hand on his shoulder. “No offence, but do these people even matter? Are they even real—”

“Are they real? Do they matter?” Kazi repeated. He didn’t look over his shoulder nor did his voice rise. He maintained a sense of kind patience. “To me, they do, yes. Everybody does.” He inhaled sharply as he witnessed Raj’s smile and the innocent way he dug into the banana. His teeth weak, he suspected apples and hard food wouldn’t do. Bananas, grapes, oranges; those would be better. “But if you want a logical reason, the scenario told us to figure it out. The best way to do that is to help these people.”

As he began unpacking his inventory, the aroma of fresh fruit and the promise of a snack filled the air. The villagers couldn’t contain their joy, and a murmur of gratitude rippled through the crowd. The villagers, hesitant at first, formed a line and began to receive their share. Children received extra attention as Kazi knelt to their height, handing them food with gentleness and kindness.

Inevitably, his party members followed. Elena, whose inventory seemed packed with groceries, was particularly helpful. But, well, it was stinted. Forced. He could tell neither Marta, David, or Aisha were accustomed to feeding the poor. To seeing their dull expressions and dull line-ups. If the people of the village were thankful, a majority didn’t show it. There was the occasional gesture of thanks from the children, but they were children. The adults were living zombies.

The last to come was a man with a terrible limp and a complexion as dark as garden soil and peculiarly broken. Kazi noted he came from the largest home and was accompanied by his wife who cradled an infant.

Kazi struck up a conversation, like he did with the previous people. “What a cute little guy!” With a classic Kazi-esque grin, the baby laughed. The husband and wife went wide eyed. The mother hushed the baby, her lips curling up in relieved confusion. Kazi smelled blood on the man too, old and nasty. He did not comment on either obscenity.

“Name and favourite food?” Kazi asked.

Saliva split from his lips as the frail man spoke. “Are you…a god?”

“I am Kazi Hossain, and a humble traveler. How about you?”

The frail man licked the cut on his lip. “Drona, a great Brahmin. This is my wife, Kripi, and my beloved son Ashwatthama.”

’What.’ Kazi was almost speechless. His eyes darted to the newborn baby in the gorgeous woman’s arms, no older than a month. ’No way. Drona? THE Drona? And Ashwatthama too!?’

A white gem was embedded on the baby boy’s forehead. It resonated with the swirl of magic inside Kazi. Suddenly, he was reminded of the Divine Essence droppings he received from the baby Hanuman. Different, yet one in the same: divine.

Kazi gave David a look. He didn’t understand. Of course he didn’t. Kazi suspected he would meet a mythological character, and Drona was amongst those he thought of. A legendary teacher in the Mahabharata, perhaps the greatest of them all, his later successes began from a place of poverty.

But still, to think his suspicions would come true this soon. His smile almost grew too large.

“An honour, Drona.” Kazi lowered his head slightly. Drona’s eyes shone. “Would you like water?”

“Not for me, but for my wife and child,” Drona replied. He gestured to them and ignored the weakness in his own body.

“I ask this not as a superior man, but a friend,” Kazi said. “I consider all those I meet friends.”

Drona raised a brow and let out a chuckle. “A peculiar thing. I accept then.”

’He’s just as they say he is. He doesn’t accept charity nor does he enjoy material wealth, but he loves his family enough to bend those rules slightly.’

Kazi sat down and patted at the spot beside him. Elena got Kripi and the baby Ashwatthama to her side, leaving Kazi and Drona alone. David was a little to the left of them, not wanting to join the ladies and curious about the conversation. Kazi didn’t mind and simply began filling up a cup of water for the two of them.

“Do you know who I am?” Drona asked.

Kazi didn’t pretend otherwise. “I do.”

“Yet I do not know you. You are a foreigner.”

“I am.” Without looking, he handed him a cup of water. Drona took it and sipped. He drank the water with the cadence of royalty.

“Then do you know of the danger here?”

“…a Rakshasa is attacking.”

“Indeed. A Rakshasa. A nameless Rakshasa.” Drona sipped again. “A nameless Rakshasa means a weak Rakshasa. But I encountered another Rakshasa, Kirmira, and was gravely injured. And without food or water, I could not heal. Otherwise, I would have been capable of killing it without shame.”

Kazi’s nose crinkled. So the smell of blood did come from him. “How long has it been?”

“Months, I believe. I cannot keep count. Whatever I receive, I give to my wife and child.”

’How selfless.’ Kazi drank his own water. ’Too selfless.’

Drona turned his head and watched Kripi and Ashwatthama. Kripi, who smiled from Marta shyly describing her powers and her staff. Ashwatthama, beautifully carried by Aisha, laughing and giggling. Smiling, Drona turned back to the barren dirt. The tension on his forehead disappeared and exposed the three painted white lines. “Do you truly mean to tell me you are not a god?”

“Trust me, if I was, things would be much different.” His hazel eyes sharpened. “Much different. And to prove my mortality, I ask for wisdom. Mentorship.”

“I live in poverty. Who would wish to be mentored by me?”

“You are Drona. Your knowledge nor skill is changed by poverty.”

“That is not true. Poverty can mean the difference in power and weakness. Being an elephant or a sheep.”

“It would be, if you were an ordinary man.”

“Quite persistent, are you not? Fine then. In exchange for a display of my skills, you will help me in another task. You will protect this village from the Rakshasa. Every time it arrives, it asks for a sacrifice. A child. I pray that it will not be my Ashwatthama next. If it comes to it, I will protect him with my life but as my body is…” Drone lifted his garb and unveiled the hidden injury, Several holes punctured the left side of his chest, black and and bleeding. Kazi now understood a man of his calibre was relegated to poverty. An injury like that in the real world would spell certain death in minutes.

But Drona? He lived. He fought for his family, no matter how brittle his muscles became. “I fear I will not last—”

Howls. So many of them. Like wolves, they soared through the skies and into their ears and hearts. Fear struck them. Fear took hold of the villagers. Drona’s voice drowned out and he stopped moving.

Kazi glanced down to see the mission screen.

[ Main objective found! ]

[ Gate 6 : Doon Valley

SCENARIO:

Main Objective: The village is being attacked by Rakshasas! Protect the village!

Prize Pool: 25,000 XP, 5,000 PP ]

“Marta,” Kazi called forward.

“Y-yes?” The blonde came in front of him, fixing her glasses and fumbling with her staff. “A-are we fighting?”

“No. You stay and heal Drona. I’ll be going out.”

Marta was shocked yet thankful. She didn’t think she was ready for combat, and Kazi agreed. This battle wouldn’t be like it was with the horned serpent. One blast wouldn’t force it to run away. This was a battle with an objective in mind. A battle where a degree of ruthlessness would be involved.

’Equip.’

A staff and a sword slipped into his hands. It was his go to at this point.

Ahead were large, goblin-like creatures taller than him. Twenty of them, maybe more, opposing one Kazi Hossain.

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