Paani shaant ho chuka tha।
Lekin Anmol ke andar tufaan chal raha tha।
Uski saanse tez thi…
dil control me nahi aa raha tha…
Aur aankhen—
Ab bhi wahi dekh rahi thi…
jo abhi kuch seconds pehle hua tha।
Flash.
Ek shehar…
Jo aadha toot chuka tha।
Log… bhaag rahe the।
Aasmaan…
jaise phat gaya ho।
Aur un sab ke beech—
Wahi Symble.
System ka।
Anmol ne apna sir pakad liya।
"Ye… memory nahi thi…"
"Ye… real tha…"
Uske saamne Hunter khada tha।
Bilkul calm।
Jaise usne jo dikhaya—
woh koi badi baat hi na ho।
"Tumne dekha…"
Usne dheere se kaha।
Anmol ne uski taraf dekha।
Is baar uski aankhon me darr nahi tha—
Confusion tha।
Aur gussa bhi।
"Ye sab kya hai…?"
"System… game nahi hai to kya hai?"
Hunter ne seedha jawab nahi diya।
Woh thoda sa aage badha—
Paani uske aas paas khud hat raha tha।
"Tum log hamesha galat samajhte ho…"
"Jab control milta hai…"
"Tum use game samajh lete ho…"
Anmol ka dimaag fast chal raha tha।
Pieces connect hone lage।
"Matlab…"
"System… kisi ne banaya hai…?"
Hunter ruk gaya।
Phir halka sa muskuraya।
"Finally… sahi direction me soch rahe ho…"
Ek second ke liye silence।
Phir Anmol ne poocha—
"Kaun…?"
Hunter ki aankhen thodi si gehri ho gayi।
"Jinhe tum samajh bhi nahi sakte…"
Ye jawab nahi tha।
Ye warning thi।
Anmol ne apni mutthi band ki।
"Phir tum kya ho…?"
Hunter ne seedha uski aankhon me dekha।
"Main… failure hoon…"
Anmol freeze ho gaya।
"Matlab…?"
Hunter ne dheere se apna haath uthaya।
Uski void energy halka sa flicker hui।
"Main bhi tumhari tarah tha…"
"Ek player…"
Anmol ka dil zor se dhadka।
"Impossible…"
"Sabko lagta hai…"
Hunter ne beech me hi kaha।
"Lekin system… reward nahi deta…"
"System test karta hai…"
Paani ka flow phir se heavy hone laga।
Jaise atmosphere bhi change ho raha ho।
"Jo pass ho jata hai…"
"Woh control paata hai…"
Anmol ne dheere se poocha—
"...aur jo fail ho jata hai?"
Hunter ne seedha jawab diya—
"Woh… mere jaisa ban jata hai…"
Silence।
Anmol ke andar kuch hil gaya।
"Matlab… tum…"
"Main survive kar gaya…"
Hunter ne uski baat complete ki।
"Lekin jeet nahi paaya…"
Anmol ke dimaag me sab kuch ghoomne laga।
"Ye system… logon ko todta hai…"
"Ya banata hai…"
Hunter ne correct kiya।
"Choice tumhari hoti hai…"
Ek second ke liye—
Anmol chup ho gaya।
Usne apne haath dekhe।
Ye power…
ye fight…
ye sab—
Kya woh bhi wahi banne ja raha tha?
"Main… aisa nahi banunga…"
Usne dheere se kaha।
Hunter ne uski taraf dekha।
"Sab yahi kehte hain…"
Anmol ne seedha jawab diya—
"Main prove karunga…"
Iss baar uski awaaz me doubt nahi tha।
Hunter ki aankhon me interest wapas aa gaya।
"Prove?"
Anmol ne apni stance li।
"Main system ko use karunga…"
"System mujhe nahi…"
Paani uske aas paas react karne laga।
Flow alignment phir activate hua।
Lekin iss baar—
Zyada stable।
Zyada controlled।
Hunter ne dheere se sir hilaya।
"Accha hai…"
Usne bhi apni energy release ki।
Void phir se active ho gaya।
"Phir dikhao…"
CLASH.
Lekin iss baar—
Fight alag thi।
Anmol seedha attack nahi kar raha tha।
Woh observe kar raha tha।
Hunter ka void—
Sab kuch absorb kar raha tha।
"Direct hit useless hai…"
Anmol ne turant strategy change ki।
Woh side me move hua—
Aur paani ke flow ko divert kiya।
Hunter ne attack kiya—
Lekin iss baar—
Attack seedha Anmol par nahi—
Flow ke against gaya–
BOOM!!!
Energy disperse ho gayi।
Hunter ne aankhen sikodi।
"Smart…"
Anmol rukha nahi।
Usne environment use karna start kiya—
Pressure… direction… flow…
Har move calculated।
Ek moment—
Hunter ka void unstable hua।
Bas ek second।
"Yahi chance hai…"
Anmol seedha aage badha—
Aur iss baar—
Attack nahi kiya।
Usne apna haath Hunter ke core ke paas roka।
Hunter shocked tha—
"Attack kyu nahi…?"
Anmol ne dheere se kaha—
"Kyuki ye fight jeetne ke liye nahi hai…"
Hunter freeze।
"Main samajhne ke liye lad raha hoon…"
Ek second ke liye—
Sab kuch ruk gaya।
Phir—
Hunter halka sa hasa।
"Late… but correct…"
Usne Anmol ka haath hata diya।
Void dheere dheere calm hone laga।
"Tum pass ho gaye…"
System flash—
"Trial Complete"
Anmol shock me tha।
"Ye… test tha…?"
Hunter mudne laga।
"Har fight… test hoti hai…"
"Final test… abhi baaki hai…"
Anmol ne turant poocha—
"Final…?"
Hunter rukha—
Lekin peeche nahi dekha।
Aur dheere se bola—
"Jab tum sach me sab kuch kho doge…"
"Tab decide hoga… tum kya banoge…"
Aur agle hi second—
Woh gayab ho gaya।
Paani shaant ho gaya।
Anmol akela khada tha।
Uska dil abhi bhi fast dhadak raha tha।
"Ye… sirf shuruaat hai…"
Usne dheere se aas paas dekha।
Aur us moment—
System ek baar phir flash hua।
"Next Location Unlocked"
Anmol ki aankhen sikud gayi।
"Game… ya reality…"
Usne dheere se kaha—
"Ab main khud pata lagaunga…"