"What do you mean by that?" Steve's voice was sharp with confusion.
"What?" Rudra's response was a simple, flat question, as if he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.
"You can time travel?" I asked, cutting to the chase.
"No," Rudra replied.
"Then what do you mean, 'changing the past'?" Asked Carol Danvers who just flew in through the balcony, her expression unreadable.
"Changing the past means changing the past." Rudra answered.
"Then how will you do that?" Bruce asked, his scientific mind clearly struggling to reconcile the statement.
"I don't know, but I will have the chance," Rudra said, his tone utterly sincere.
'Yeah, explain that in a way that I understand the whole thing,' I thought, my internal monologue already sighing. 'Shit! That doesn't tell us anything.'
Seeing the adamant expressions of everyone, Rudra sighed, as if explaining the obvious. "You see, after my last meeting with you I visited the Guruji at my home temple to ask for a revelation, who guided me to Kedarnath. During my journey, someone told me that a sincere prayer, if answered by Lord Shiva, would grant me anything I asked for. Which led me further to mount Kaliash."
I scoffed. "What does that have to do with time travel? Get to the point."
"Well, I set out to climb Mount Kailash so that he might hear my prayer. My prayer was answered, but the response I got was in the form of a chance I'll have at changing the past. He guided me to K'un-Lun to prepare, as I need to be ready to overcome anything that may stop me."
I stared at him, my mind unable to process the utter lack of concrete information. "So, you mean, you recieved a revelation from the God that at some time in the future, somewhere you don't know, and in some way you might not understand, you'll have a chance to change the past? That's what you're told to prepare for?" My words were laced with disbelief. 'That's so lacking, I don't even want to listen to it.'
"Yes."
I decided to try one more time. "And why do you believe that? Does 'your God' have any proof that you will get the chance?"
"No, Mr. Stark," Rudra said in a low, chiding tone. "But I understand that when you go to someone's door to ask for alms, you don't question their ability to give. You take whatever is given with gratitude."
"How do you know it's true?" Carol asked, her voice skeptical.
"It is I who sought refuge in him and asked for his charity, and whatever he gave my humble self, I will accept as my providence. It is not my place to question him. He does not need to lie to me or deceive me, for I have nothing of value. He pointed me to a path, and I will follow as a follower does."
"How will you know of the right moment?" Steve pressed, his questions more practical than philosophical.
"His presence in me shall be my guide, and my faith in him will be my direction. I will wait until he tells me that my path is open and the time has come."
"And what if you miss the opportunity or if you fail to accomplish anything?" I asked, trying to find a logical flaw in his faith.
"Then it is my incompetence, for he is just giving a path, and it is my challenge to overcome and reach my destination."
"That was not the answer to my problem," I said, a little frustrated.
"My grandmother once said to me, 'Rudra, life does not give answers; all it gives are challenges to overcome. And those who succeed will find the answers, and those who fail will find sorrows or worse.' So all I can do is prepare myself for any challenges that I may face. I am not against the questions you asked or the doubt you have. Sometimes, even I question myself if I can make it, but that is it. You can either do nothing, or you can try to do something, even if you might fail. And I shall try my best."
"And what if your best is not enough?" I countered.
Rudra's eyes welled with tears. "I asked my grandmother the same question in my dream this morning, and she said that you take a deep breath, shout 'Har Har Mahadev,' and do better. And you won't fail. You may die trying, but you won't fail." He turned and left the room, his shoulders slumped.
Everyone in the room glared at me.
"Look, I didn't think he would cry," I said defensively.
"Did you understand something, Bruce?" Natasha asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Everyone looked at Bruce, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Yeah, somewhat?"
"How do you understand that—" and when everyone glared at me again, I sheepishly said, "Whatever, you go on."
"What he said has two meanings," Bruce explained. "The first is that he will succeed, and even his death will somehow, by God Shiva's blessings, change the past. The second is that he will get back his family in the afterlife, as such will be the grace of the lord."
"And he is willing to die for that possibility? One that might not even be real?" Asked Tony.
"Yes, That is the Weight of his Faith." said Bruce 'or his desperation.' He added in his mind but left the words unsaid.