Fragment of Past.

Fragment of Past.

The sun dipped below the horizon painting the sky in hues of the orange and purple as Rudra made his way home. His heart raced with Adeline from the earlier confrontation, but relief washed over him as he approached the familiar façade of his house. As he stepped inside, the comforting scent of ye home enveloped him. The living room was softly lit, and his younger sister, Kylie, was curled up on the couch, engrossed in a book. When she noticed him, her eyes lit up with excitement. She jumped up and rushed toward him, worry etched on her face.

"Rudra"

 She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I was so worried! Are you okay?"

Rudra smiled down at her, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I am okay, Kylie. Look, I even brought something for you." He pulled out two black cards from his pocket, the faint gleam of wealth visible in the low light.

Kylie asked in confusion "What is this, card brother?" he said this card is given by Mr. malik as a payment. And "cards worth is two million," he replied, watching her excitement bubbles over. "But I thought your deal was for one million?" she asked, titling her heads in confusion.

Rudra hesitates for a moment, debating how much to share truth to her. Then he said "I helped with a cure for Mr. Malik, so I got an extra million for that," he said, skilfully leaving half- truth with the reality of his encounters. He chose to leave out the darker aspects of the day – how he had taken down the whole Malik family.

Deep down, Rudar grappled with his thoughts on life and death. Killing in the human world felt savage and vile, yet in the realm of cultivator, it was merely a way of life. He pushed those conflicting emotions aside and focused on the moments with his sister.

Do you know about medicine? Pepper his older sister, asked in confusion and doubt, entering the room and catching the end of their conversation. Rudra felt a surge of Unease; he had been delving into the knowledge of medicine for years, especially during his seven – year journey, but he wasn't ready to share everything with his siter just yet. "I've picked up a few things along the way," he replied vaguely, wanting to divert the conversation. Pepper raised an eyebrow, sensing something deeper but choosing not to pry further.

Then, with a more serious tone, he turned to Pepper. "What's been happening with Dad? I wanted to an asked yesterday, but I didn't get the chance" both Pepper and Kylie froze exchanging glances filled with hesitation. Pepper heart sank, knowing it was time to reveal the truth. "First you sit down here, Rudra. There are some things you need to know."

Seven years ago, when the accident happened, that accident claimed father's life.

Rudra's world had shattered. Pepper began recounting the events, her voice steady yet tinged with sadness. "You were in that accident with Dad. You almost didn't make it either."

Rudra's chest tightens at yeh memory. The pain of loss was still fresh. "Uncle Joseph took over the business after dad died. We were vulnerable then," she continued. "Your condition was critical, and we needed all the help we could get. But after a few months, our company went bankrupt. It was like a mountain of problems fell on our heads. The medication was expensive, and we went to uncle Joseph for help, but he strangely denied to meet us."

Rudra felt a mix of sorrow and anger swirling with him. He had always felt a sense of betrayal from Uncle Joseph before accident he always feel he is opportunist and cunning being, a now it was confirmed. "What about Aunt and Sofia?" he asked, desperation creeping into his voice. When he mentioned Sofia, a vivid image of fourteen – years – old girl with sparkling eyes and a mischievous grin flashed in his mind. He felt a warmth spread through him at the thought of her, but it was quickly clouded by the weight of their family's struggles.

Pepper's expression softened as she continued…