The palace halls were unusually quiet that night. Guards stood at attention, their armor gleaming in the torchlight, but their usual casual chatter was absent. Word had spread quickly about the rudras condition, and a solemn atmosphere permeated the air.

In Rudra's chambers, Utta worked tirelessly. Though the initial healing had saved the prince's life, much remained to be done. Golden light emanated from the healer's hands as he methodically strengthened newly-formed tissues, ensuring bones had fused properly, and monitoring for any signs of complications.

"His body is accepting the healing remarkably well," Utta murmured, more to himself than to Ray, who hadn't left his post by Rudra's bedside. "Though I've never seen injuries quite like these..."

Ray's hands clenched in his lap. "Will he..." He swallowed hard. "Will there be lasting damage?"

Utta's fingers traced the air above Rudra's reconstructed leg. "Physically? No. The healing is comprehensive. But..." His eyes drifted to the mark on Rudra's cheek, which pulsed faintly in the dim light.

"That mark," Ray said, leaning forward. "You know something about it, don't you?"

The royal healer was silent for a long moment, his eyes studying the serpentine design. "There are old stories," he said finally, "some beings are powerful enough to mark their chosen prey. But such things haven't been seen in centuries." He straightened, his silver hair catching the lamplight. "I must consult some texts. Watch him carefully. If the mark changes in any way, send for me immediately."

After Utta left, Ray pulled his chair closer to Rudra's bed. In sleep, his friend looked younger, more vulnerable. The marks of pain had smoothed from his face, but occasional tremors still ran through his body as the healing magic continued its work.

"What happened to you?" Ray whispered, carefully adjusting the blanket over Rudra's chest. "Where did you go?"

Suddenly Rudra's breathing hitched or the mark pulsed.

As midnight approached, Vidar appeared in the doorway. "You should rest," he told Ray quietly. "I can watch him."

Ray shook his head. "I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see him appearing in that courtyard, broken and bleeding..."

Vidar moved to stand beside Ray's chair. "You're no good to him exhausted. At least take the couch." He gestured to the plush settee near the window. "I'll wake you if anything changes."

After some persuasion, Ray reluctantly moved to the couch, though he positioned himself so he could still see Rudra clearly. Despite his determination to stay awake, exhaustion soon pulled him into a fitful sleep.

Vidar took the vacated chair, his sharp eyes noting every detail of Rudra's condition. The mark on Rudra's cheek pulsed again, and Vidar's hand instinctively moved to his blade hilt.

After the second glance he let go of the his blade hilt

Throughout the night, various palace residents found reasons to pass by Rudra's chambers. The King and Queen they came dozens of times standing silently in the doorway for several minutes before continuing his rounds. Palace healers checked in regularly, though none dared interfere with Utta's work.

In the darkest hours before dawn, Rudra stirred restlessly. The mark flared briefly, and he mumbled something unintelligible. Ray was instantly awake, moving to his friend's side.

"Shh," Ray soothed, placing a cool cloth on Rudra's forehead. "You're safe."

As the first hints of dawn began to lighten the sky, Rudra's breathing finally settled into a deeper, healing sleep. Ray, unable to fight exhaustion any longer, dozed off in his chair beside the bed. Vidar had been called away to his duties, but he'd arranged for extra guards outside the door.

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Morning approached, Warm sunlight filtered through the tall windows of Rudra's chambers, casting long shadows across the marble floor. Ray sat slumped in a chair beside the bed, his usually impeccable posture abandoned in exhaustion. His head rested at an awkward angle, dark circles visible beneath his eyes even in sleep. His fingers still loosely gripped Rudra's blanket, as if afraid his friend might vanish again if he let go completely.

Rudra's consciousness returned slowly, like wading through thick fog. Every muscle in his body ached with a deep, bone-weary pain. His rebuilt leg throbbed with phantom sensations of being torn apart and reformed. Even breathing felt strange—his newly knitted ribs expanding against flesh that seemed simultaneously familiar and foreign.

“It feels as though my entire body has been unmade and remade”

he thought, the memory of his healing making him shudder. He flexed his fingers experimentally, noting how each movement sent tiny sparks of discomfort through his reconstructed nerves.

A slight movement from beside him caught his attention. Ray stirred, his eyes fluttering open. When he saw Rudra awake, he practically leaped from his chair, nearly toppling it in his haste.

"Rudra! ........

" Relief and concern warred in Ray's voice. His hands hovered uncertainly over Rudra's form, as if afraid to touch him. "What happened to you? You vanished from the training grounds, and then..." His voice cracked. "Fifteen minutes. You were gone for fifteen minutes, and you came back looking like..." He swallowed hard. "There was so much blood. Your leg was barely attached. I thought... I thought I was watching you die."

This kid is such a headache rudra thought but and the end he had a relief about something

Rudra turned his face away, avoiding Ray's searching gaze. The raw pain in rays voice didn't affect rudra at all , it was like a human sharing his pain to a stone even tho he needed to act as a normal

"I don't remember," rudra said that it was obviously a lie , he remembered everything every details but he just couldn't share what he had gone through , the words tasting bitter on his tongue. The memory of the serpent's attack was still vivid in his mind—the crushing pressure, the tearing of flesh, the overwhelming pain. But he couldn't tell Ray. Not about any of it

"Nothing?" Ray pressed, leaning closer. "Not even a fragment? One moment you were there, the next..." His voice hardened slightly. "Rudra, your wounds... they weren't normal combat injuries. Utta said it looked like something had tried to..." He stopped, his hands clenching into fists.

"Ray," Rudra said softly, meeting his friend's gaze for the first time. "Please."

Ray studied him for a long moment before his shoulders sagged. "I understand if you're not ready to talk about it," he said quietly. "But whatever happened, whatever you're dealing with... you don't have to face it alone. You know that, right?" Rudra looked at him for a long moment thinking what is this nature called is he just a fool lost in emotions or I am the fool lost in my nothingness

When Rudra didn't respond, Ray stood with a heavy sigh. "I'll get Utta to check on you. Don't move from that bed. Your body may look healed, but the internal recovery isn't complete."

As Ray's footsteps faded, Rudra let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. His entire body felt like it was humming with residual healing energy, each breath sending tiny ripples of sensation through his reconstructed muscles. But before he could fully process these new sensations, a familiar voice filled with worry cut through the silence.

"Are you alright?" Jaipa materialized, his spectral form circling Rudra anxiously with a shocked look on his face . "Your body was nearly destroyed, and now..." The spirit's eyes widened as he examined Rudra more closely. "It's as if you have an entirely new body. The magical reconstruction is unlike anything I've ever seen "

Before Rudra could respond,

Slowly a sound of footsteps approached and stopped for a second at The door swung open to reveal Utta and Ray. The royal healer rushed to Rudra's bedside, his expression stern.

"Who said you could sit up?" Utta pressed Rudra back against the pillows and began his examination. His hands glowed faintly as they passed over Rudra's body, checking the integrity of the healing. "The reconstruction of your tissues is still stabilizing. One wrong movement could disrupt the healing matrix."

Finding nothing immediately concerning, he asked, "Are you experiencing any unusual sensations? Any pain? Numbness? Your nervous system underwent significant trauma i think “

Rudra shook his head, but Utta's troubled expression remained. The healer retrieved a small mirror from a nearby table and held it out. "Look," he said simply, his tone was smooth with unspoken concern.

Rudra took the mirror, attempting to lighten the suffocating atmosphere. "Oh my, how handsome can one person look it like a angel came from the heaven's ?" he joked, even as his eyes fixed on the black mark on his cheek—the serpent coiled around a crescent moon. The mark seemed to ripple slightly under his gaze, like ink spreading through water.

"This isn't the time for jokes!" Ray's frustration burst forth, his voice cracking.

"Look at that mark! How can you not remember anything? You were half-dead in my arms! Don't you feel sorry for us "We may not have been family for long, but we .......ar.....e family now. Don't you understand that?

Rudra could only respond with a acted sad smile, which seemed to frustrate Ray even more. The weight of his deception felt heavier with each passing moment.

Utta placed a calming hand on Ray's shoulder. "Let's give him some space to rest. His body needs time to adjust to the reconstruction." Ray hesitated, then relented, though his expression remained troubled.

"I'll bring you food later," Ray said, backing toward the door. "Don't you dare leave that bed."

He made exaggerated gestures indicating he would be watching, drawing a genuine chuckle from Rudra despite the tension.

The moment the door closed, Jaipa darted forward. "Let me see that mark," he demanded, hovering close to Rudra's cheek. The spirit's form flickered in alarm, its ethereal light dimming. "It... it can't be... I'd hoped I was wrong, but..."

"What is it?" Rudra asked, with a flat face there was no one for him to keep his acted face on , The mark pulsed warmly against his skin, as if responding to Jaipa's attention.

"The Mark of Claim," Jaipa's voice trembled. "We're doomed. You barely escaped death once, and now...this......”

"Explain properly," Rudra said sharply, his eyes narrowing. "What exactly does this mark mean for us?"

Jaipa's form settled, though it continued to flicker anxiously "The Mark of Claim is like a cage after taking a long break between his words ...he continued

The next time we enter the world of 48H, we ......won't be able to return to this world,

even if we spend 48 hours their...........