End of the Beginning!

Rudra felt a weight settle in his chest, and for the first time, the exhaustion seemed to deepen. The bond between father and son had never been clearer than it was now. Agni's approval, his quiet words of praise, meant more than Rudra could say.

"I... I guess I did," Rudra replied, his voice softer now, more reflective. "I've come a long way."

Agni smiled, his gaze turning nostalgic. A flash of memories surged in his mind—the first time he met Rudra as a child, the long hours of training, the fiery determination in his eyes when he fought. Agni Igris had never shown it outwardly, but moments like these, when he saw Rudra grow, were the ones that meant the most to him.