With the last batch that had just left, now there remained less than half of the original number of children in the Ashram. Many had left after the first week itself; the life of the ascetic had proven itself too austere for the hopefuls that had been too young.

But that was the way for those that walked down this path.

This reduction in numbers was nothing new and also nothing final. The journey had just begun and it will leave behind many in the dust. Though with the end of the initial month, the phase meant for easing the children into their new life had ended, and now the true journey would finally begin.

0.0

Kiran was standing alongside the remaining children as they waited for their teacher to begin the lesson.

While the boy was still short for his age, a month of back-breaking labour had been good for the boy, though not too much.

His multiple chins had reduced by quite a few and the chubbiness of his cheeks had lessened. His body seemed to have become a lot less round after the month and his features had sharpened.

Though the sun had not been so good for his skin and his dark skin had darkened further.

He, like everyone around him, was dressed in white robes and, despite his plain face, he looked quite adorable in the way that only children could as the bright colour of his clothes contrasted with his skin.

The boy had completed his shack, like all the others that were standing alongside him. And even though he had to abandon the bigger shack, and had to build a much smaller one, the boy had been quite happy with it.

But that joy could no longer be seen now.

Standing with the rest of the disciples, the absence of those that had left was easily felt. There was less noise, less chatter, fewer people and less joy. Everything was just...less. After all, amongst those that had left, there had been many that had been their friends.

Even the sole friend that Kiran had made had left. The thin and light-skinned boy had left along with the others in the last batch as he had been unable to complete his hut by the end of the month.

And though the boy could have stayed further and studied while he completed the hut alongside it, the thin boy had chosen not to do so. Yet, Kiran could not blame the boy.

The other boy had already been thin when he had arrived at Ashram, and the back-breaking labour of the month had caused the boy to lose even more weight, leaving the child gaunt and bony.

And at the same time, his light skin hadn’t been able to withstand the harsh sunlight and had flaked and burned.

Kiran had not tried to convince his friend to stay back but he had almost cried at the other boy’s decision to leave. And he hadn’t been the only one that had been left teary-eyed.

The constantly increasing number, of children leaving the Ashram, had left the group scared as the tentative friendships they had made, were broken and shattered under the strain. And even if these children were to meet again in the distant future, their lives would still be worlds apart.

“Good job everyone!” The teacher’s deep voice broke Kiran out of his flunk. “You all have done excellent work. You have proven that your will is strong and your reflection deep.”

“Now you will take your first step on this journey.” The teacher continued. “And that first step for that is for you all to earn the Class, [Shishya].”

“However, before I tell you all about it, let me introduce myself.” The man smiled genially. “I am Guru Pranay. You can address me as Guruji or Acharya Ji and as nothing else. I will not tell you my Class and my Level as it is irrelevant to you now.”

“Though,” The man smiled mischievously, “if you can earn your Class, you can come and ask me.”

“Now, there are many similar ‘student’ natured classes but you are not here for those. You are here to study under the [Brahmin]s, the [Muni]s and the [Hrishi]s. You are here to learn from us and walk down a path that best suits you. [Shishya] will allow that to happen.”

“While the other Classes promise power and glory, that is also their trap. They would lock you into set progressions and not allow you to grow as you would want. Rather, they would force you to grow in a manner that they’d dictate. They would not allow your curiosity to grow and they would not allow your full potential to manifest.”

“The Class [Shishya], however, will allow you to pave your own path.” He paused for a moment. “And if you happen to walk an already paved path, you’d find that your skills would be deeper and your spells stronger. It is for this reason that your parents have sent you here. To be better and to be yourself.”

“Though, nothing in this world is as easy as it seems. If this Class were so great, why wouldn’t the world strive for it? Why won’t the nobles and the kings fight for it?” The man paused and surveyed the students. “Can anyone answer?”

None even whispered a word as they evaded eye contact, wishing to be left alone in the anonymity.

“Hmm? No one?” The man prompted again and a girl hesitatingly raised her hand. “Yes, you. Go ahead.”

“Umm…Be-because they have better Classes.” The girl swallowed and the man laughed.

“Indeed!” The man agreed as he laughed. “While [Shishya] is a great Class to possess for a commoner, the arduous lifestyle that it forces upon its followers is not favoured by the elites. But if it were just that, then too this Class would be much more desirable than it is now. Can anyone tell me why?

The students frowned before the same girl as before raised her hand once again. “I-it is because [Shishya] regresses.”

A murmur erupted within the students as they processed what the girl said. Some students audibly scoffed while others rolled their eyes.

“Don’t just say anything!”

“Keep quiet if you don’t know the answer!”

“This is what happens when you try to show off.”

“A half fill jug just splashes out water.”

Some students doubted the girl and looked at her as if she had grown a third head. While others simply disbelieved her and didn’t give her a second thought.

Though their reactions were different, all of them were in agreement that what the girl had just said, had been utter and pure nonsense. A Class that regresses? How could such an absurd thing be?

-X-

Within a desolate desert, inside a dilapidated shop, on a simple chair, a youth seemingly slept.

-X-

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