The sharp smell of medicine in the infirmary was oddly comforting after the dusty chaos of the training hall. The medic, a tired-looking woman with gentle eyes, moved quickly and carefully. She pressed at Rudra's ribs, cleaned the cut on his lip, and smeared a cool salve on the worst bruises.
"Mostly surface wounds," she said. "You're lucky, considering the beating you took. You heal fast. Must be the prāṇa. Just rest, drink plenty of water, and try not to push yourself for at least twelve hours." She handed him a small jar. "Use this tonight and again in the morning."
Rudra nodded and took it. The pain was already fading into a dull throb, his prāṇa flowing slow and steady through his body. Calm and steady—that's all he needed right now.
He stepped into the courtyard of the Outer Academy. The air buzzed with noise—students talking, laughing, shouting. Life going on like normal. He found a quiet spot under the old oak tree, leaned against the rough trunk, and closed his eyes. Not to sleep—just to think.
"Divine Path"
Edward's words echoed in his mind, impossible to shake.
"Rudra!"
He opened his eyes. Jade was pushing through the crowd, his face full of worry and relief. He stopped in front of Rudra, staring at the bruises on his face and the way he stood a little stiffly.
"Stars, Rudra! What happened?
"Nothing serious," Rudra said, pushing off the tree with a slight wince. "Medic checked me. Just some bruises."
Jade wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? You don't exactly look fine…"
"I'll tell you later," Rudra said quietly. "Somewhere else."
"You look like you wrestled some beast, though."
Rudra managed a faint smile. "Felt like it."
"Come on," Jade said, patting his shoulder carefully. "Let's go somewhere else. My treat. The Nook?"
Rudra nodded. The Nook was their usual spot—small, cozy, a little messy, but the food was good and the quiet was better.
The familiar smell of simmering meat and herbs washed over them as they entered The Nook. They found their usual corner booth, slightly secluded. The warmth, the low murmur of other patrons, and the steaming bowls of stew Jade ordered acted like a balm, easing the lingering tension from Rudra's muscles and Jade's visible concern.
Jade leaned forward, elbows on the worn wood, his brow furrowed with lingering concern despite Rudra's assurance. "Seriously, Rudra, what happened? You look like you went ten rounds with a training golem set to 'maim'. Was it some advanced sparring session gone wrong?"
Rudra took a slow spoonful of stew, the warmth grounding him. "Not sparring. A test.
"A test?" Jade blinked, confusion replacing worry. "For what? You just got Awakened! What kind of test could leave you looking like that?"
"Admission," Rudra stated simply, meeting Jade's gaze. "To the Inner Academy."
Jade froze. His spoon, halfway to his mouth, clattered back into his bowl, splashing stew onto the table. He didn't seem to notice. His eyes, wide and disbelieving, locked onto Rudra's.
"The... Inner Academy? Rudra, that's... that's for seasoned Initiates! You... you just broke through!" Shock radiated from him in waves. "What... what kind of test?!"
"Survival," Rudra replied, his voice flat but carrying the weight of the memory. "Five minutes. Against a Third-Level Initiate."
The color drained from Jade's face. He stared at Rudra as if seeing him for the first time. "A... Third-Level?" he whispered, the words barely audible over the restaurant murmur. His eyes darted over Rudra's visible bruises – the split lip, the mottled purple on his jaw and the hint of swelling near his temple where Vaishnav's fist had grazed. Understanding, stark and terrifying, dawned. That's what had caused this. Rudra hadn't been sparring peers; he'd already fighting seniors . "You... you fought a Third-Level? And... you survived? For five minutes?"
Rudra nodded once. "Passed."
The shock in Jade's eyes morphed. Astonishment flared, bright and intense. "You... you actually did it?" Then, pure, unadulterated pride surged forward, momentarily eclipsing everything else. A wide, incredulous grin spread across his face. "Rudra! That's... that's impossible! That's incredible! You faced down a Third-Level and got into the Inner Academy ?!" He slammed a hand on the table, making the bowls jump. "Stars above! I knew you are talented, but this? This is legendary!"
He raised his mug again, beaming. "To Rudra! The future terror of the Inner Academy!"
Rudra clinked mugs again, the small smile returning. Jade's genuine joy was infectious. "Thanks, Jade. But…" He gestured vaguely at the bustling Outer Academy students visible through the window. "Means I'll be busy with inner academy. Won't see much of the Outer yard anymore."
The brilliant smile on Jade's face faltered. The pride was still there, shining in his eyes, but it was suddenly overlaid by a deep, poignant urgency. He looked down at his own hands, resting on the table. They were capable hands, but they hadn't faced down a Third-Level Initiate. They hadn't earned a dawn appointment with the legendary vice principle. Jade himself… he hadn't even felt the first ripple of prana yet.
The contrast was suddenly, painfully stark. His best friend, the boy he'd grown up scrapping with in the mud, was already leagues ahead, stepping onto a stage Jade couldn't even see clearly. The pride was real, fierce and warm, but beneath it surged a powerful current of realization. He's moving at lightning speed. And I… I'm still standing here.
He took a deep, steadying breath, the earlier exuberance replaced by a quiet, intense resolve. He met Rudra's eyes again, the pride still present, but now mixed with a newfound steeliness. "Yeah… about that, Rudra." His voice was lower, firmer. "I… I have something to tell you too. Wish Amber was here." He paused, gathering his courage. "I'm leaving, Rudra. Leaving the Academy. Leaving the city."
The words hung in the air between them, stark and sudden. The comforting sounds of the restaurant seemed to recede. Rudra stared. "Leaving? When? Why?"
"Next week," Jade said, his voice thick. "And… it's the military school.
"military school?" Rudra echoed, surprise sharpening his tone. That was border territory, often restless. "Jade… why? What about your studies here? Your family?"
"It's… the family tradition," Jade stated, a flicker of his old reluctance crossing his face. "Dad served. Grandfather. Uncles. They all pushed it… and I always pushed back. Wanted my own path, away from the border grind." He gestured towards Rudra, . "But after that day… I don't want to experience it ever again…" He met Rudra's gaze, his eyes burning with a fierce, new determination. "You already broke through days ago and you're already here. Inner Academy. Facing Third-Levels. You already have your path Rudra. If I want to get strong – truly strong, strong enough to stand beside you someday, not just watch you vanish behind – I can't keep avoiding the hard path. My path. It has to be the military academy. It's where I learn to fight, to endure, to build the strength I need, Awakened or not. I need to step up. Now."
"Does Amber know?" Rudra asked quietly.
Jade shook his head, guilt flashing across his face. "No. I couldn't find her before she left for her family visit. I'll tell her tomorrow, as soon as she's back. It's going to…" He sighed. "It's going to be hard."
Silence stretched again, filled only by the distant clatter of pots. Rudra looked at his friend – the earnestness, the underlying fear masked by resolve, the sadness at the parting. He reached across the table, placing his hand firmly over Jade's where it rested on the wood. Jade flinched slightly in surprise, then turned his hand to grasp Rudra's forearm in their familiar, unspoken gesture of solidarity.
"I understand, Jade," Rudra said, his voice low but steady. "It's your path. Your choice. And it's a brave one." He squeezed Jade's arm. "Don't hesitate. Don't doubt. If this feels right, then go. Fight well. Learn well."
Tears welled in Jade's eyes, but he blinked them back fiercely, returning the grip. "Thanks, Rudra. Means… everything."
"And listen," Rudra continued, holding his friend's gaze. "Distance changes nothing. You hear me? Nothing. We've been brothers since we were kids scrapping in the mud. Academy, military school, different cities… it doesn't erase that. We're still Rudra, Jade, and Amber. Always."
A choked sob escaped Jade, quickly stifled. He nodded rapidly, unable to speak for a moment. "Always," he finally managed, his voice rough with emotion. "Brothers."
The heaviness lifted slightly, replaced by a bittersweet warmth. They spent the next hour pushing stew around their bowls less and talking more – reminiscing about Amber's fiery temper, their disastrous first attempts at sparring, the time they got lost in the city markets and were rescued by a surprisingly patient guard, the shared dreams of becoming strong enough to protect their small corner of the world. Laughter mingled with the lingering sadness, forging a precious memory in the dim light of The Nook.
Finally, the proprietor started giving pointed looks about closing. They paid, the easy camaraderie momentarily masking the impending separation. Outside, under the emerging stars, they clasped forearms again, the grip firm and lingering.
"Tomorrow," Jade said, his voice steadier now. "We find Amber. Tell her together?"
"Together," Rudra confirmed.