Darkness.
Not empty… but endless.
Rudrahan stood within it.
The pain was gone.
The noise was gone.
Only silence remained.
And in that silence—
two shapes.
They were clearer now.
Still dim… but no longer unclear.
An axe.
A knife.
Not perfectly formed, not complete—but close enough.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Rudrahan stared at them.
Then took a step forward.
If he stayed still…
nothing would change.
This place wasn't something he could escape by waiting.
As he moved closer, a thought crossed his mind.
Which one?
There was no answer.
So—
he chose.
The knife.
He reached out and held it.
The moment his fingers wrapped around it—
something shifted.
The shape became clearer.
Sharper.
Closer to the knife he had used at home.
And then—
pain.
Not sharp.
But deep.
It spread through his lower hand, his fingers tightening involuntarily as if something inside was being pulled out.
Not forcefully.
But deliberately.
Something was emptying.
The Astra.
Not visible.
But felt.
It wasn't supposed to gather in one place.
Yet now—
it was.
And as it gathered—
it left behind a hollow sensation.
Rudrahan didn't let go.
The pain stayed.
But it stabilized.
After a moment—
he released it.
Silence returned.
He looked at the second shape.
The axe.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
The moment he touched it—
the pain returned.
Stronger.
His back tightened.
His shoulders locked.
His arms felt like they were being forced open from within.
It spread faster this time.
More violent.
His body wasn't ready.
But he endured.
For a few seconds—
he held on.
Then—
everything broke.
His vision blurred.
His body collapsed.
Sweat covered him entirely—
and he fell.
Darkness swallowed him again.
Morning came quietly.
The doctor came and analysed him.
In somwhere between afternoon and evening.
Rudrahan's eyes opened.
Clear.
Sharper than before.
He didn't move immediately.
Just… looked.
Everything felt different.
Then—
he tried to sit up.
A low sound escaped him.
Not from pain.
From hunger.
His stomach growled.
He looked down slightly.
The small layer of fat that once sat on his body—
was gone.
His body felt tighter.
Lighter.
Stronger.
Then—
memory returned.
The darkness.
The pain.
The weapons.
A sudden sound broke his thoughts.
*Clang.
Something had fallen.
Rudrahan turned his head toward the sound.
Maitreyi stood there.
An empty tray in her hand.
A glass of water shattered on the floor.
Her eyes widened.
"Rudra—!"
She rushed forward immediately and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Are you alright…?" her voice trembled,
"how do you feel…? Tell me…"
Rudrahan paused.
Then said one word.
"…Hungry."
For a moment—
she just stared at him.
Then a small, broken laugh escaped her.
Through tears.
She pulled back slightly and looked at him properly.
His body had changed.
Not drastically.
But enough.
Leaner.
Stronger.
As if he had gone through days of labor without rest.
"Wait here," she said quickly, wiping her eyes. "I'll bring something."
She handed him lemonade and a small pack of juice first.
Rudrahan drank both without pause.
Then exhaled softly.
"…Sorry," he said. "For worrying you."
A pause.
"How long was I asleep?"
Maitreyi shook her head.
"It's not your fault," she said. "The doctor said… you awakened your Astra Sūtra."
She looked at him again.
"You've only been like this since yesterday evening."
She stood up.
"We'll talk later. Stay here. I'll bring breakfast… and then I have to get some things."
She moved toward the door.
"Your father's outside. I'll send him in."
She stepped out.
Outside, she told Dharan and headed toward Tarun's shop.
As she shared the news, Sahach, who was there, stepped forward.
"Aunty… can I see him?"
Maitreyi shook her head gently.
"Come in the evening. He needs rest."
Sahach nodded.
"…Okay."
Inside the house—
Dharan entered.
He stopped for a moment.
Looking at Rudrahan.
Words didn't come easily to him.
They never did.
"…Yesterday," he finally said, "when you fainted… your mother…"
He paused.
"…she couldn't even speak."
Silence.
"The doctor came. Evening… and again this morning," Dharan continued. "He said you awakened. The fever… was just your body adapting."
He looked directly at him.
"So?"
A small pause.
"How does it feel?"
Rudrahan hesitated.
Then—
smiled slightly.
"My body feels… stronger," he said. "Eyes clearer. Ears sharper… and more."
Dharan nodded once.
"So," he said, "you're alive."
It was meant as a joke.
Rudrahan didn't react.
Dharan sighed quietly.
"We'll talk later," he said. "Looks like your mother's back. Need help walking?"
"…No."
Rudrahan stood up on his own.
Inside his mind—
a thought lingered.
If this is how it feels…
then I want to move.
Dharan turned toward the door.
"Then wash up and come out," he added.
"You smell like something died."
Rudrahan froze slightly.
Then realized—
The smell.
It wasn't from outside.
It was from him.
Meanwhile at Tarun's shop
Sahach stood near the shop counter, not really doing anything.
Just… thinking.
The noise of the street passed around him, people coming and going, small conversations, coins clinking—but none of it reached him properly.
Rudrahan.
The thought stayed.
Didn't move.
Didn't fade.
Then—
a sudden chill ran across the back of his neck.
"Ah—!"
He jerked forward, almost knocking something over.
"Dad—what was that?!"
Tarun stood behind him, completely unfazed.
Without answering, he opened the small fridge and took out a chilled bottle.
"Here," he said, handing it over. "Drink this first."
Sahach frowned, still annoyed, but took it anyway.
After a few sips, the cold settled him slightly.
Tarun leaned against the counter.
"So," he said casually, "what were you thinking?"
"…Nothing."
"Really?"
Sahach sighed.
"…Rudra," he said finally. "He awakened."
A pause.
"And what about me?"
His grip tightened slightly around the bottle.
"I'm not saying this because I'm jealous," he added quickly. "But… whatever we did, we were equal. Always."
His voice lowered.
"And now… he's different."
Before he could continue—
smack
A light hit to the back of his head.
Sahach winced.
"Now what?"
Tarun didn't answer immediately.
"If Rudra really considers you his best friend," he said calmly, "then he won't change."
Sahach went quiet.
Tarun continued,
"And stop worrying about awakening so much."
A slight pause.
"You remember who your grandfather was, right?"
Sahach rolled his eyes lightly.
"Yeah, yeah… I remember. One of the top hundred awakened."
Tarun nodded.
"And after that?" he asked.
Sahach smirked faintly.
"He had you… and you became a shopkeeper."
Tarun chuckled.
"Exactly."
Silence settled again.
"But don't think that means anything is guaranteed," Tarun added. "Awakening happens when it happens. Not when you keep staring at it."
End of chapter