Om blinked as reality slowly returned to him. The trance faded like mist in the morning light. His eyes fluttered open, stinging slightly as tears spilled down his cheeks—not out of pain, but from a feeling far deeper. He had glimpsed something not meant for mortal eyes. Something beyond comprehension.
Mark, who had been shaking him gently, stopped once he saw Om's awareness return. The man let out a slow breath, watching his student carefully.
"You went into a trance," Mark said, his voice serious. "If it had lasted any longer… you could've fallen into a coma. Never—and I mean never—attempt to enter that state again until after you've broken into the First Stage Chakra. That's the minimum requirement."
Om sat up slowly, still absorbing everything he had seen—or thought he had seen.
"You're the second person I've known to reach that level of consciousness before awakening their first chakra," Mark continued. "It's incredibly rare. And dangerous. Do you know how hard it is to fall into a trance? But escaping it? That's even harder. And you did it—in just three days."
He placed a firm hand on Om's shoulder. "That's impressive. But for now, focus on your techniques. Hold off on meditation until you reach the First Stage."
Om nodded quietly, standing up. His legs were slightly shaky, but his resolve wasn't.
As he turned to leave, curiosity nudged at him. "Mark… who was the first person you knew to reach that state?"
Mark gave a mischievous smile. "Me."
Om chuckled and rolled his eyes. Of course Mark would say that.
"Training's done for today," Mark said, beginning to tidy up the room. "You should check your venue for the Elemental Test. It's coming soon."
"Alright. See you tomorrow." Om waved and stepped outside.
Mark waited until the door clicked shut before sitting down with a thoughtful sigh. He pulled up his communication watch and made a call.
A voice answered on the other end, sounding mildly annoyed. "Bit of an odd time to call, don't you think?"
Mark chuckled. "Can't a man call his friend just to talk?"
The voice scoffed. "You didn't call just to chat. What's going on?"
Mark's tone shifted. "Om just entered a trance."
A pause.
"...You think he saw him?" the voice asked quietly. "In that space?"
Mark shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe. Even if he did, he'll probably dismiss it as a dream. He's not ready to understand what he saw."
"You warned him not to meditate again, right?"
"I did."
There was a rustle on the other side of the call. "Good. Listen, the day of the test is almost here. I've already arranged for his test location to be away from Rudra and her family."
Mark raised a brow. "You're still wary of that family? They've always seemed kind. Did you know they once served me a meal—real home cooking? They even added a First Stage potion to it. I could taste it, faintly. Didn't affect me much, of course, but it was refreshing."
There was silence on the line.
"So let me get this straight," the voice said slowly. "They gave a First Stage potion—a rare and potent substance—to a supposed normal human… and then you, our ever-so-innocent Mark, thanked them for it?"
Mark blinked. "…Yeah. Just being polite."
"You fool."
Mark's face froze.
"They were testing you," the voice hissed. "No regular family gives out First Stage potions like candy. And no normal human would even detect it in the food—much less identify its stage. Now they are thinking that you are Rakshakas. Or at the very least, someone with open chakras."
Realization struck Mark like a punch to the gut.
He slumped onto the couch, grabbed a pillow, and buried his face in it.
"Damn it…"
"They know you're not who you say you are," the voice continued. "They probably suspect your purpose here, maybe even your rank. That family isn't normal. They're trained. They're observant."
Mark groaned into the pillow. "I can't believe I walked right into that…"
"They're part of the outer circle of the Rakshakas," the voice added, more quietly now. "I don't know how they managed to become close to Om. But they're not acting randomly. I have a strong suspicion about their true mission—but I'm keeping it under wraps for now. We don't want to stir anything unnecessary."
Mark sat up, a dark cloud forming in his mind. "This is my fault. I was careless. I let my guard down because of their hospitality."
"We don't blame you," the voice said more gently now. "But we need to be cautious. If you can't maintain control over the situation, I'll bring in someone else to support Om directly."
Mark sat up straight. "No. I'll handle it. I promise."
There was a pause before the voice responded, "Alright. Just remember—his test is near. And so is the moment he learns the truth. We need to keep him isolated until then. No distractions. No risks."
Mark nodded grimly.
The call ended.
Silence fell in the room again, but Mark's thoughts were louder than ever.
He leaned back in his seat, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. For all his strength, for all his skill… he had been outplayed by a family hiding in plain sight. He clenched his jaw. Centuries of Age had made him wise—but perhaps also a little too trusting.
"I won't let this spiral out of control," he whispered to himself. "I owe that to Om… and to the others."
And so, with secrets in the air and the test drawing near, unseen forces began to stir behind the scenes—each one watching, waiting, and preparing for the role they were yet to play.