The transition back to his original world was abrupt, almost violent in its suddenness. One moment, Rudra was lying broken and bloodied in the narrow tunnel of that ancient cave, Jaipa’s flickering above him like a dying flame. The next, he found himself sprawled on cold marble floors, surrounded by towering stone pillars bathed in soft golden light. His body still bore the scars of battle—his shattered leg, dislocated arm, protruding ribs—but something felt... different. The air here was lighter, cleaner, as though it carried none of the oppressive weight of the other realm.

Before he could even process his surroundings, two figures locked in combat froze mid-duel just a few paces away. Ray, with his hair tied back into a messy ponytail and wielding dual blades stood poised for an attack. Opposite him was Vidar, calm and composed, his sword raised in defense. Their eyes widened simultaneously when they noticed Rudra crumpled on the ground between them.

Through this temporal wound, a body fell—broken, bloodied, and barely recognizable

Rudra, the Third Prince, was laying on the ground His body bounced once because of a small cough coming to rest in a growing pool of his own blood. His right leg was nearly severed, hanging by mere threads of muscle and sinew. Bones protruded from multiple places through his torn flesh, and his right arm was twisted backward at an impossible angle.

"No..." Ray's practice sword clattered to the ground as his face drained of all color. "No, no, no... RUDRA!"

The Second Prince's usual composure shattered completely. He sprinted toward his fallen friend, his boots slipping in the blood as he dropped to his knees beside Rudra's broken form. Ray's hands shook violently as they hovered over Rudra's body, afraid to touch him for fear of causing more damage.

"Brother..." Ray's voice cracked, in just a second tears streaming down his face he was a pure kid anyway seeing a new founed brother in that kind of state he had lost his thoughts "What happened to you? Who did this?"

Vidar stood frozen, after seeing rudra as half dead , but this—this was different. This was Rudra, the quiet, boy they had trained with, Now he lay before them, more corpse than person, his body mangled beyond recognition.

"The blood..." Vidar's small voice trembled as he finally moved forward. "There's too much blood. Ray, we need to—"

"GET HELP!" Ray screamed, his royal composure completely abandoned. His hands were now covered in Rudra's blood as he tried to put pressure on the worst wounds. "Don't just stand there! He's dying!"

The raw anguish in Ray's voice snapped Vidar into action. He ran toward the palace with speed that belied , his voice booming through the corridors. "MEDICS! TO THE TRAINING GROUNDS! THE THIRD PRINCE IS seriously injured

Ray’s hands trembled as he gently cradled Rudra’s head, his voice barely above a whisper. “Hang on, Rudra. Just hang on. Vidar’s getting help. You’re going to be okay.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears, his concern for his friend overwhelming him.

Within minutes, Vidar returned, accompanied by a tall, slender man with silver hair that cascaded down his back like a waterfall. His piercing blue eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and his movements were fluid, almost ethereal. This was “ Utta “, the royal healer, known for his unparalleled mastery of restorative abilities. His presence alone seemed to bring a sense of calm, even in the midst of chaos.

Utta knelt beside Rudra seeing rudras body in that state his expression changed for a second and in the next second , his expression unreadable as he assessed the prince’s injuries. Without a word, he placed his hands over Rudra’s chest, and a soft, golden light emanated from his palms. The light spread across Rudra’s body, weaving through his wounds like threads of sunlight. Broken bones began to mend, torn flesh knitted itself back together, and the blood that had pooled beneath him slowly receded.

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But as the healing process began, Rudra’s body convulsed. His eyes shot open, and a guttural scream tore from his throat. The sound was raw, filled with agony, and it sent shivers down Ray’s spine.

“What’s happening?!” Ray shouted, his voice desperate. “Why is he screaming?!”

Utta’s expression remained calm even though his brow furrowed slightly. “My ability heals the body,” he explained, his voice steady, “but it does so by accelerating the natural healing process by 100s of times The pain he’s feeling now is the equivalent of weeks or even months of recovery condensed into mere moments.”

Ray’s fists clenched at his sides, his frustration and helplessness evident. “Isn’t there another way? Something less painful?”

Utta shook his head. “This is the fastest and most effective method. If we don’t heal him now, his injuries could become fatal.”

The scream that followed would haunt those present for years to come.

Rudra's back arched off the ground as his bones began to forcibly realign themselves. The sound of grinding bone and tearing muscle filled the air as his body attempted to reconstruct itself. His severed leg began to reattach, blood vessels squirming like worms as they sought their corresponding ends.

"Hold him!" Utta commanded as Rudra thrashed in agony. "The healing has only begun!"

Ray's tears fell freely onto Rudra's face as he held his friend down. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry, brother."

Vidar's face was a mask of anguish as he used his considerable strength to keep Rudra's shoulders pinned. Vidars hands trembled as bones continued to snap back into place beneath them.

The healing seemed to last an eternity. Rudra's screams flowed off the courtyard walls as his body knit itself back together. Muscles rewove themselves fiber by fiber, each connection sending fresh waves of agony through his system. His dislocated arm rotated back into position with a series of sickening pops, tendons reattaching themselves like strands of spider silk.

Throughout the process, more healers arrived, their combined powers supporting Utta's primary healing. They formed a circle around the fallen prince, their hands glowing with various shades of healing light—gold, silver, pale blue—all working in concert to save Rudra's life.

Finally, the golden light dimmed, and Utta withdrew his hands. Rudra’s body went still, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The screams had stopped, replaced by the sound of his quiet, even breathing.

Ray let out a shaky breath, his shoulders sagging with relief. “Thank you, Utta. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”

The healer at that time had his own thoughts and worry about this matter what could have happened to the prience to go in that state “ every inch of his body had a injury ”

Utta nodded, his expression softening. “It’s my duty to serve the royal family. However…” He paused, his gaze narrowing as he studied Rudra’s face. “Was this mark on the Third Prince’s face before?”

Ray and Vidar leaned in closer, their eyes widening as they noticed it for the first time. On Rudra’s left cheek, just below his eye, was a small, black mark. It was no larger than a coin, but its intricate design was impossible to ignore. The mark resembled a serpent coiled around a crescent moon, its scales etched in fine detail. The edges of the mark seemed to shimmer faintly, as if alive.

“No,” Ray said, his voice barely above a whisper. “That wasn’t there before. What is it?”

Utta's expression grew grave as he studied the mark more carefully. "This is... troubling. This isn't a simple bruise or battle scar. This is a signature—a claiming mark. Something has laid its claim on him." The healer's fingers traced the air above the mark, careful not to make direct contact. "

As if in response to Utta's words, the black mark pulsed once, like a heartbeat beneath Rudra's skin. The unconscious prince's breathing hitched for a moment before settling back into a steady rhythm.

Ray clutched Rudra's hand tightly, his voice barely hearable "Where did you go, brother?

Vidar placed a comforting hand on Ray's shoulder, but his eyes never left the pulsing mark on Rudra's temple. The young boy had had seen many strange things in his years , but this... this felt different. It felt like a warning.

In the growing darkness of evening, torches were lit around the courtyard, their flames casting dancing shadows across Rudra's unconscious form. The black mark continued its steady, ominous pulse,

And somewhere in that other dimension, a massive serpentine creature coiled in its cave, its ancient eyes glowing with satisfaction and though Rudra had escaped, the creature's patience wasn't much as his eyes glow in the dark The mark would ensure that their paths would cross again, in his world .

The sun set completely, leaving the courtyard in twilight. Guards positioned themselves around their fallen prince, torchlight glinting off their armor. Ray refused to leave Rudra's side

Ray nodded, his gaze never leaving Rudra’s face. “For now, let’s get him to his chambers. He needs rest.”

As they carefully lifted Rudra and carried him toward the castle, the black mark on his face seemed to pulse faintly, as if responding to their concern. The question lingered in the air, unspoken but heavy with implication: What had Rudra encountered that he was in that kind of state and what had it done to him ?

The black mark pulsed once more, a silent countdown to something none of them yet understood