Silence remained in the hall.
But it was no longer the silence of uncertainty.
It had changed.
Now, it carried weight.
A presence of its own.
The truth had been revealed.
Not completely.
Not in full clarity.
But enough.
Enough to understand the scale.
Something ancient.
Something buried beyond time.
Something dangerous—
Not because it acted…
But because it could.
And now—
They were part of it.
Duryodhana stood firm at the center of the circle.
Outwardly composed.
Unshaken.
But his mind—
Was moving rapidly.
Connecting fragments.
Testing implications.
"This… path…"
He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"You said it has chosen us."
His gaze sharpened as it fixed on the old man.
"Then what does that mean?"
The old man looked at him.
Calm.
Still.
Unaffected by urgency.
"It means…"
A pause followed.
Measured.
"…you have already stepped onto it."
Duryodhana frowned.
His brows tightening slightly.
"That's not an answer."
