It was dawn, silence all over, An Alarm bell rings...
"Essel, wake up or you will be late for your college today....", shouts Essel's mom.
Essel opens his eyes, shocked yet amazed, " Where am I? How the hell am I here? I was....", he paused, got up to fetch his clothes, still thinking hard about the incidents. He rushed towards the Calender, it was 10th of November, just a day after the day on which that Railway station incident took place!
"Was that all..... Just a Dream?"

He picks up his towel, his clothes no goes for the bath. His chest was still in pain, but how could that be? He probably didn't get any injuries in the past few days.
"Maybe I injured myself when I was asleep.", Essel explains himself, but was himself not convinced.
He went on to the dining table to have his breakfast. His mom was serving him his milk and fruits.
"Hey mom..."
"Yeah son..."
"...Ummm... Did I go to college yesterday?"
"Ohh yes you did Essel, No don't tell me that you have started forgetting things."
"Ohh Ummm... Yeah... I was just asking to confirm that you knew it or not..."
"Now don't play mind games on me, just have your breakfast, you're gettin late."
"Hmmm"
Essel avoided the thought had his breakfast and went on to his college. Still confused about the incidents that took place, do they originally belong to his dreams or is there something more to it?

The next few days went on normally, Essel was busy with the preparation for his Final Examinations. But this thought of that dream would frequently disturb his thoughts, "I felt the pain, I felt the work I did, I felt the training I went through... was all that actually my dream?... this couldn't be...", but he could do nothing more than confusing himself. "Ahh, Come on Essel, lets get on with these Exams first...." Essel talks to himself.
The Exams started, he had prepared well enough to score something better than the average, well thats what he could do with so much disturbances that he had created for himself with his imagination and thoughts.

It was his last Exam. He comes out from his examination room with his as usual silly and a blank face. As soon as he was out he say his group of friends standing nearby, he went on to have a talk. And the topic of discussion was, as usual, to none of his surprise, it was the exam that they had took right nw.

Ash - Hey i just answered that Question 1(b), it was an easier one than the (a) part, and the answer was somewhat close to 2.14357...

Shanky - Ohh yeah, that was an easy one but Buddy my answer came out to be 2.1535, I guess it's not something that woudl loose me some marks. Anyways how was your paper Muck?

Muck was standing as idle as ever, he had nothing to talk about on this topic, Studying was not his piece of cake. He then respoded bluntly, "Yeah it was good, I hope I would pass..."

Shanky - And you Essel?

Essel - It was good. Got it done.... I guess. Anyways, who's hungry? Lets have something to eat.

And they all went on towards the Cafetaria. And thats how the conversation ended.

Essel's back, the Winter Break had started, had nothing much to do, so was just busy chilling out. He then suddenly realised, "What if my dream was true? The Ninja said he would kill Amanda after me. And then Kuru!!! What the hell.... What should I do?", he was worried about his friends, "I should call Amanda.."

He picks up his phone, and calls Amanda, but no one picks it up. "Come On Amanda, pick up the phone." says Essel worriedly, but there's no answer. He keeps on trying till late at night. Suddenly he hears something on his window. Essel was now afraid, he had no clue as to what was waiting for him in th next moment. He gathered his wits and opened the window to see the source of that sound, but as soon as he opened the door, a dark figure jumped into his room. Essel turned around to see him.
"Hey Essel, Where were you?"
It was Kuru.
"Ahhh Kuru!! I am so relieved to see you here..."
"Me too Essel" continues Kuru, "Now tell me, where have you been on the 9th of November? We couldn't even trace you over the entire globe! where have you been?"
"Hmm, so that was not a Dream... Ohh Crap..." Shouts Essel
"What?" Kuru responds anxiously
"I have to call Amanda. I hope she's not..." And then Essel's Phone rings. Essels picks it up.
"Hello"
"Hey Essel, how are you? Sorry I was out and my phone was kept in my room."
"Ohh Shut up Amanda... You almost gave me a heart attack..."
"Why what happened?"

And Essel tells the whole story to Amanda, and Kuru listening along....

So it was not a dream....




This incident was not a Dream!!! It means it's Ninja roaming around to hunt down Essel and his friends. But why didn't he attack Essel's friends till now? Who is his master? What about Essel's training? What's the mystery behind Xenith? How was Essel back home?
Answers to unfold in the following chapters. This time it wont be too long...