Against The Eternity Chapter 58: [57] Chapter - 33: The Weight That Does Not Bleed

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[57] Chapter - 33: The Weight That Does Not Bleed Eklavya did not know what that voice truly was, nor did he understand where it came from or what it ultimately wanted from him. Yet the first line it spoke had pierced him deeper than any blade ever could. It told him that he was weak, and no matter how desperately he tried to deny it. That statement rang with undeniable truth. He had stood on that battlefield surrounded by destruction. Spirit Warriors and other warriors who were more powerful than him and in the end. He had still been a spectator, watching others bleed while he remained powerless to change the outcome. That realization hollowed him out completely, leaving behind a silence so heavy that even his emotions felt distant, muted, as though separated from him by an invisible wall. He did not respond when Anshvi asked him if he was fine, nor did he turn his head to look at her even once. To Anshvi, that silence was more terrifying than any battlefield she had ever stepped onto. She had always believed, or perhaps forced herself to believe, that Eklavya held no feelings for her, that their interactions were nothing more than coincidences of circumstance and shared danger. Yet in recent days she had noticed subtle changes that she could not ignore. The way he spoke more freely around her, the way his gaze lingered a fraction longer than necessary, the quiet care hidden beneath his usual restraint. Those small shifts had planted something fragile inside her heart, something she had not allowed herself to name, and now that fragile thing trembled violently as she watched him withdraw completely. Cutting her off without explanation. And that fragile thing was a hope that he would have feelings towards her as well like she has. That fear was real, sharp enough to hurt, and she did not attempt to hide it from herself. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, wanted to shake him, to demand that he look at her the way he had before. But the expression on his face stopped her from doing any of that. His eyes were open yet empty, his tears falling without sound or resistance, and it felt as though he had already stepped somewhere she could not follow. She remained silent as he finally moved, rising slowly and turning toward Elder Sahas, his voice steady despite the storm raging within him as he addressed everyone present. “Let’s return to the clan.” That single sentence ended everything. It ended the battlefield, ended the aftermath, and ended whatever fragile moment might have existed between them. Anshvi could only listen and follow as he lifted Ishant onto his back, securing him with careful movements that betrayed how deeply ingrained responsibility had become within him, before rising into the air and flying toward the city without looking back. One by one, the members of the Rudra Clan followed, their formations loose and silent, exhaustion weighing down every movement. Anshvi and Ashish remained at the back, watching Eklavya’s figure grow smaller in the distance. And even from afar she could see that his posture had changed, straighter yet heavier, as though he were carrying far more than just his injured father. As they traveled. Anshvi’s thoughts grew darker, her heart unsettled by the way he had shut her out completely. Ashish noticed her silence and drifted closer, his tone gentle as he asked, “What happened?” She did not answer him immediately, because she already knew what he would say, and a part of her desperately wanted to hear it anyway. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, uncertain, as she asked, “Brother Ashish, does Eklavya look a little different?” Ashish smiled knowingly and shook his head, amusement softening his features as he replied, “Oh! So, that’s the matter. Don’t worry, he will come to his senses after we arrive in the clan. By the way, tomorrow is a festival at night. Why not you both go together at night?” “But—” she began softly, doubt creeping into her voice, but Ashish interrupted her bef