The next morning dawned clear, the sky painted in soft strokes of blue and gold. The village was quieter than ever, yet not with the silence of fear that had once gripped it. Instead, it was the silence of people slowly rebuilding—patching walls, clearing rubble, tending to wounds.
At the edge of the road, Ansh, Ashwini, and Vijay stood with their bundles packed. Raushan was there too, clinging tightly to Ansh's hand. His wide eyes brimmed with the sadness of farewell.
"You'll come back, right?" the boy asked, his voice wavering.
Ansh crouched down, forcing a grin though his throat felt heavy. "Of course I will. You better be stronger when I come back, or else I'll leave you behind in a race."
Raushan laughed softly, though a tear slid down his cheek. Ashwini reached out, wiping it gently with her thumb. "Be good, Raushan. And stay away from trouble."
Vijay nodded, though words didn't come easily to him. He simply ruffled the boy's hair, leaving Raushan smiling shyly.
Behind them, Rajyugas stood silently, arms folded. He had been the one to heal Raushan when the boy's life was slipping away, pulling him back from the brink with a power none of them fully understood. Ansh had never asked how—he was too relieved to question it. But Ashwini… she still wondered.
As they turned away from the village, Ashwini's eyes lingered. She remembered asking him that night why he hadn't stepped out sooner, why he let them struggle and the villagers suffer.
His answer had been flat, almost cold: "The true problem of the village wasn't the Ent's. It was something else—and I was here to deal with that."
She hadn't understood then. She still didn't. But the weight in his words lingered like a shadow.
The journey back toward the academy began. A carriage carried them part of the way, creaking along rough paths, though Ansh barely stayed inside. Halfway through, Daav squawked loudly, fluttering his wings and darting out.
"Oi! Wait for me!" Ansh cried, tumbling out after him.
Ashwini sighed and climbed down, knowing there was no stopping him once his mind was set. Vijay muttered something under his breath but followed too, because leaving them unsupervised was far worse.
The three of them wandered toward a nearby lake, its surface shimmering with ripples of light.
Ansh tried to catch Daav by sneaking up from behind, only to trip spectacularly into the shallow water. He resurfaced with weeds stuck in his hair, spluttering. "It was a tactical dive!"
Ashwini laughed despite herself, shaking her head. Vijay pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "You're hopeless."
Daav perched on a branch, chirping smugly, while Ansh splashed water up at him. Soon enough, even Ashwini's hands weren't dry—Ansh had flicked her, and in revenge, she drenched him with a wave of water gathered from the lake. Vijay tried to keep out of it, but one accidental splash later, all three were shrieking and laughing, soaked to the bone.
For a brief while, it was as though there had been no Ent Queen, no plague, no death. Just children being children.
But the reprieve didn't last.
Rajyugas appeared without sound, stepping from the shadow of a tree. His voice cut through their laughter like a blade.
"Enough."
The three of them froze instantly, dripping and guilty. Even Daav shrank back onto Ansh's shoulder.
Rajyugas' sharp eyes swept over them. "Come here."
They obeyed, shuffling together in front of him. His presence alone seemed to press down on them, heavy as a mountain.
"One months of training is nearly complete," Rajyugas said evenly.
Ansh blinked. Then his eyes widened. "Wait—nearly complete? You mean… we're done?!"
He jumped into the air, pumping his fists. "Yes! Finally! Freedom! No more monsters, no more deserts, no more almost-dying!"
Daav flapped excitedly, chirping in agreement.
But Rajyugas' gaze fixed on him, narrowing into slits. The weight of it crushed Ansh's cheer. He froze mid-leap, his grin faltering. Slowly, he lowered his arms. "…Or, you know… yay. Quiet freedom. Very calm."
Rajyugas said nothing for a long moment. The silence itself was worse than a scolding. Then, finally, he continued.
"One more reason I am taking you back now: the Academy Marshal Tournament will begin soon. And the three of you will participate."
The words hit like a storm.
Ashwini stiffened. Vijay's brow furrowed. Ansh gawked. "T-Tournament?! Like… real fights? With other students?!"
"Yes." Rajyugas' tone carried no softness. "You will face others from across the academy. Strength, control, discipline—everything you have learned will be tested."
He paused, letting his gaze move over each of them in turn.
"If any of you fail… you know the consequences."
The weight of his words settled cold in their stomachs. Ashwini's hands clenched at her sides. Vijay swallowed hard, already calculating. Ansh tried to grin, but his lips trembled.
"…So, no pressure?" he muttered weakly.
Rajyugas didn't answer. His silence was answer enough.
The road stretched on ahead of them, winding toward the unseen towers of the academy. The journey was not over. In truth, it had only just begun.