The next morning arrived quietly over Bhouldera.
For the first time in days, the village felt almost calm. The sounds of rebuilding had started early. Wooden beams were being lifted, broken carts repaired, and people slowly tried to return to their routines as if pretending that the previous day's chaos had never happened.
Harun woke up around seven.
For a few seconds he stayed still, staring at the ceiling. His body felt normal again, but the faint presence in his right shoulder reminded him that nothing about his situation was normal anymore. The Dravillian stone rested beneath his skin, quiet but aware.
He slowly sat up.
"Another day," he murmured.
Outside, sunlight had already started filling the room.
Harun washed his face, cleaned himself up, and then stepped back into the small room where Aqsa was already waiting. She placed a simple plate of food on the table the way she always did. It wasn't anything special—just the same basic meal she had been bringing him every morning.
Still, it felt grounding.
Harun ate quietly.
His mind, however, was already somewhere else.
Rehman.
The judge of the main town court.
The one man he had sworn he would never face again.
Harun leaned back slightly after finishing the meal and exhaled slowly.
"Huh… so I really have to meet that judge."
The words felt heavier when spoken aloud.
For a moment he looked toward the corner of the room.
The statues stood there exactly as they had before.
Mira reaching forward.
Ishan steady and ready.
Kunal frozen mid-step.
And Omair leaning forward as if he had never stopped protecting them.
Harun walked toward them slowly.
His gaze lingered on each face.
"Just wait a little longer," he said quietly. "I'll fix this. I promise."
His voice wasn't dramatic.
It wasn't loud.
But the determination behind it was clear.
He clenched his fist slightly.
"And I can do it."
Behind him, Aqsa watched silently.
A few minutes later, they stepped outside the house.
The air was fresh. The sun had climbed higher into the sky, and the village was slowly coming back to life.
This time, however, the villagers were not staring at Harun the way they had before.
Yesterday they had looked at him with suspicion.
Then fear.
Then gratitude.
Now…
Most people simply nodded when they saw him.
It felt strange.
As Harun and Aqsa walked toward the road that led to the main town, a man suddenly approached them. His expression was hesitant.
"Where are you going, mister?" he asked carefully.
His wife stood beside him, gently holding Aqsa's shoulder in a familiar way.
"Aqsa, dear, where are you two heading?"
Aqsa answered without hesitation.
"Me and big bro are going to meet Judge Rehman."
The moment those words left her mouth—
Both adults froze.
The man's expression changed immediately.
His wife slowly removed her hand from Aqsa's shoulder.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Harun noticed the reaction.
"It's fine," he said calmly. "Nothing bad will happen. I've already fought him once."
But inside his own mind, his thoughts were far less confident.
I'm scared too, he admitted silently.
But if this is the only way to learn the truth… then I have to go.
Without saying anything more, he continued walking.
Aqsa followed beside him.
Far away from Bhouldera…
Inside a dark chamber lit only by dim red light, another conversation was taking place.
Gautam sat calmly on a large stone throne.
But the calm on his face did not match the anger slowly building in his eyes.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Ahhh… I'm starting to get annoyed."
His voice echoed coldly through the room.
"Incredible," he continued. "Why is the task still not completed?"
In front of him stood Raj.
Raj lowered his head slightly.
"Master," he said respectfully, "I have already sent Anwar. The task will be completed soon."
Gautam's eyes narrowed.
Raj continued carefully.
"Anwar has never failed a mission. You already know that."
For a moment, silence filled the chamber.
Then Gautam slowly leaned back in his throne.
"Do you understand the situation, Raj?"
His voice had become quieter.
More dangerous.
"There are only twenty-five hours left before Azaldera must awaken."
Raj did not move.
"If the release fails…" Gautam continued softly.
"I will personally kill every single one of you."
The threat did not sound emotional.
It sounded like a simple fact.
At that exact moment—
A large glowing timer appeared in the air beside him.
24:59:58
The countdown had begun.
Back in Bhouldera's main town.
Harun and Aqsa finally reached the courthouse.
The building looked exactly the same as Harun remembered.
Tall stone walls.
Cold marble steps.
And the same heavy wooden doors that had once nearly sealed his fate.
Harun stared at the entrance.
"Ugh… I really have to walk into this place again."
Aqsa looked up at him.
"Big bro, nothing will happen. Don't worry."
Harun nodded slowly.
Then he pushed the door open.
The moment he stepped inside—
His body froze.
His legs stopped moving completely.
Harun grimaced immediately.
"Ugh… he's using his power again."
A strange invisible pressure filled the courtroom.
At the far end of the room, seated calmly behind the judge's desk, was Rehman.
The same cold expression.
The same calculating eyes.
Harun raised his voice slightly.
"Sir Rehman! I'm only here to talk this time! I promise!"
Rehman tilted his head slightly as if studying him.
"Huh."
Then he spoke calmly.
"Oh… you."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The outsider Omair saved."
He leaned back in his chair.
"What is it now? Why do you keep returning here?"
His voice became colder.
"If you continue disturbing the order of this town… people will start dying."
Harun forced himself to remain calm.
"Sir, please. I just need your help. I promise I'll fix everything."
Beside him, Aqsa stepped forward slightly.
"Sir, please trust big bro."
Rehman's expression did not change.
Instead, he laughed quietly.
"The one who cannot even protect himself…"
He gestured lazily toward Harun.
"And he claims he will protect the entire town? All of Bhouldera?"
His eyes sharpened.
"What exactly do you think you are capable of?"
Harun clenched his fists.
"I promised everyone," he said firmly. "And I'll promise you too."
His voice grew stronger.
"I will fix this town. I will defeat Gautam."
For the first time.
Rehman actually laughed.
"No one defeats Gautam."
His voice echoed sharply.
"You cannot even move your legs under my pressure."
He leaned forward slightly.
"And yet you believe you can defeat that monster?"
Suddenly.
The invisible pressure increased.
Harun's entire body locked.
Completely paralyzed.
He tried to move.
Nothing.
Not even his fingers.
Rehman observed him calmly.
"If you can move your body under my power," he said slowly, "then I will answer every question you have."
Aqsa immediately protested.
"Rehman uncle! Why are you doing this? You weren't like this before!"
Her voice trembled.
"You used to be kind!"
Rehman's gaze shifted toward her instantly.
"Girl."
His tone turned sharp.
"The fact that I am not harming you does not mean you should speak freely."
"Stay quiet."
Harun gritted his teeth.
He tried to move.
His muscles strained.
"Ugh…"
Nothing.
His body refused to respond.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Inside the chamber…
The timer continued counting down somewhere far away.
24:50:45
And the test had only just begun.