As soon as he touched the mysterious dark mist, Rudra was sucked into it. When he opened his eyes, the scene before him was both horrifying and strangely peaceful.
He found himself in a pitch-black place, half of his body submerged in icy water. In the distance, at the very center, stood a steep cliff. Atop it, a glowing purple crystal shone brilliantly, radiating an purple aura.
Rudra muttered under his breath, his voice trembling,
"What was that…? Where am I now...?"
(Readers who have read the first chapter, try to guess where is rudra now . I'll reveal the truth at the end.)
"This place… this water is so cold… I'm freezing. Where is that light coming from?"
As his gaze locked onto the glowing crystal, his eyes widened with joy.
"Finally… it's right there. Just a few more steps and my dream… the dream of casting spells, of wielding magic… it will all come true."
Determined, he began crawling through the freezing water toward the cliff. But as he drew closer, a strange fog appeared, twisting the space around him. Illusions blurred his sense of direction, forcing him to move into an endless circle.
"Why… is this taking so long? I've been walking for hours, yet that cliff still feels so far away... The water's up to my neck now , my eyelashes are freezing, and my vision… it's blurring again. But I won't give up!"
Slapping his own face, he roared,
"Wake up, Rudra! Just a few more steps and the Soul Core will be yours!"
But no matter how far he walked, he made no progress— unaware of the fact that he is just circling endlessly in the frozen mist. Eventually, the water itself began to solidify into ice around him. His body was on the verge of freezing completely.
Then, a miracle happened.
The Fire Lotus—absorbed into his body during his fire awakening—suddenly surged out from within his chest. It blazed with divine flames, evaporating the water and melting away the suffocating ice, parting a clear path before him.
"What… this lotus… it was inside me? But how? When—" he gritted his teeth, steadying himself. "No. Now's not the time. First, I need to seize the Soul Core!"
Fueled by the blazing lotus, Rudra sprinted toward the cliff. Lotus showed him the right path his feet touched solid ground, and with every ounce of strength he climbed, finally laying his hands on the radiant Soul Core.
The moment he touched it, the core pulled him inside.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back beneath the familiar ceiling of his home.
Panicked, he scrambled frantically, waving his arms like a newborn.
"The Core! Where's my Soul Core?"
When he opened his palm, a purple glow flickered. The crystal emerged, floating of its own will, dancing around him before stopping directly between his eyebrows.
The crystal began to shine, releasing its aura and wrapping around Rudra's body. Slowly, irresistibly, it merged with him. His body was lifted into the air as searing pain clawed deep into every vein.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rudra screamed, writhing in agony.
The sound pulled his mother, Drasika, into the room. She rushed to him, wrapping him in her arms, showering him with warmth and love. Slowly, comfort overwhelmed the torment, and Rudra's cries weakened. His eyelids grew heavy, and he finally drifted into sleep.
But the moment he did, his entire body starts emitting waves of comdesed aura that swept through the room pushing his mother aside .
Ruzel, polishing his blades in the other room, felt the pressure of that condenced aura too. Eyes widening, he rushed to Rudra's side.
Their expressions turned grave, until they both whispered in shock.
"Soul Core merging…"
Ruzel's voice trembled. "But how is this possible? This process requires months… years of intense training and practice! There's no way… not at his age."
Drasika's lips quivered. "But, Ruzel, the process looks exactly the same as when we merged with our own Cores. Doesn't this… feel identical?"
"You're right," Ruzel muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "But how? He's just a six-month-old baby. Obtaining a Soul Core is a secretive art known only to some selected people's. How could he possibly comprehend such a profound process?"
Drasika frowned deeply. "Then this must be something else entirely…"
Without hesitation, Ruzel said, "Stay here with him. I'll go fetch Atla."
Ruzel ran at full speed. Soon, he barged into Atla's home, nearly breathless.
"Atla, hurry! Something's wrong with Rudra. He's… showing all the symptoms of Soul Core merging!"
Atla's eyes sharpened. Wordlessly, she followed him back.
When she entered and laid eyes on Rudra, her voice rang certain.
"There's no doubt. This is the aftereffect of a Soul Core merging. I've witnessed this countless times. I cannot be mistaken."
Drasika's shock was palpable. "But… he's only six months old!"
Atla's gaze hardened. "That does not matter. My experience cannot be wrong." She lowered her voice. "Now I understand… When Ruzel first brought Rudra to me, I sensed something strange. This must have been the opening of a dimensional tunnel."
Drasika's voice cracked with terror. "But… how?!"
Ruzel, however, chuckled quietly, shaking his head with wonder.
"The birth of our son has been nothing short of a miracle… First, he was born dead. Yet, when the priest bathed him in holy water, he came back to life. Second, on the very same day, he received the blessings of our guardian Phoenix, awakening his fire element. And now—this. The merging of a Soul Core…"
He laughed softly, though tears welled in his eyes. "Oh, my boy, how many miracles are you going to show us?"
The heavy tension in the room slowly dissolved, replaced with awe and quiet happiness.
But Atla's tone turned sharp as steel.
"Do not tell anyone of this. If word spreads, Rudra's life will be in grave danger."
Drasika and Ruzel exchanged solemn nods. Without hesitation, they swore an oath together:
To protect their son's secret, no matter the cost
( That dark place the same dimension Krishna talked about in 1st chapter which he uses to stich the six fragments of rudra's soul )