The bow did not move.
Even after everything—
It remained where it was.
Half-buried.
Incomplete.
Silent.
Aditya Varma stood before it for a long time.
Not touching it again.
Not speaking.
Just… watching.
Something about it had changed.
Not its form.
Not its presence.
But its relationship to him.
It no longer felt distant.
It no longer felt like something to be discovered.
It felt like something that had always been his—
Just out of reach.
"…you're not taking it."
The Witness's voice broke the silence.
Aditya didn't turn.
"…it won't come."
A pause.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
He finally stepped back.
"It's not rejecting me."
He said quietly.
"It's waiting."
The Witness watched him carefully.
"For what?"
Aditya's gaze remained fixed on the bow.
"…for me to be ready."
The journey back felt different.
The land still felt wrong.
The air still carried that unnatural weight.
But now—
Aditya understood why.
This place was not abandoned.
It was avoided.
Not because it was empty—
But because it held something incomplete.
And now—
So did he.
The soldiers saw him return.
Relief washed over their faces.
But it faded quickly.
Because something about him had changed.
Not visibly.
Not physically.
But undeniably.
"My lord…"
One of them stepped forward.
"…did you find what we came for?"
Aditya paused.
"…yes."
"…and?"
A brief silence.
"…we are not ready for it."
The answer confused them.
But none of them questioned it.
Because something in his voice made it clear—
This was not a matter for understanding.
The moment they crossed back over the boundary—
Time slipped.
Not violently.
Not noticeably.
But enough.
A soldier blinked—
And found himself a few steps ahead of where he had been.
Another turned—
And the landscape behind him felt… unfamiliar.
Aditya noticed everything.
"…it's getting worse."
The Witness walked beside him.
"Yes."
"…because of the artifact?"
"Because of you."
The answer was immediate.
Aditya didn't react.
"…explain."
The Witness's gaze remained forward.
"You touched it."
Silence.
"You connected to it."
Another pause.
"And now…"
The air shifted slightly.
"…the system is responding."
The capital came into view after days of travel.
But something was wrong.
The sky above it—
Flickered.
Not visibly.
Not to normal eyes.
But to Aditya—
It was clear.
"…it's spreading here too."
The Witness stopped walking.
"Yes."
"…and it's because of me."
"No."
Aditya frowned slightly.
"…then what?"
The Witness finally looked at him.
"It's because you are moving correctly."
Silence.
The gates opened.
The soldiers returned.
The world resumed.
But it wasn't the same world.
The palace felt heavier.
The air thicker.
And the artifact—
The moment Aditya stepped inside—
It reacted.
A pulse.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Stronger than before.
He stopped.
"…it knows."
The Witness didn't respond.
Because he didn't need to.
That night—
It happened again.
But this time—
It wasn't subtle.
A corridor collapsed.
Not physically.
But structurally.
A group of servants walked through a hallway—
And simply vanished.
No sound.
No trace.
Gone.
The palace fell into chaos.
Guards rushed.
Scholars panicked.
Orders were shouted.
But no one understood what had happened.
Except one person.
Aditya stood before the sealed chamber once more.
Silent.
"…this is just the beginning."
The Witness appeared behind him.
"Yes."
"…and it's only going to get worse."
A pause.
"Yes."
Aditya closed his eyes briefly.
"…then I need to move faster."
The Witness's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Faster… or smarter?"
Aditya opened his eyes.
"…both."
Deep beneath the palace—
The artifact pulsed again.
Not like before.
Not searching.
Not reacting.
But awakening.
Because now—
It was no longer alone.
And neither was he.