Chapter 29: The Weight of Time
Raj paced back and forth in their small dorm room, his hands tugging at his hair in frustration. "I can't believe it! I forgot to tell Aamir about the time difference in the Trivnal Tower!"
Kunal, who was leaning lazily against the doorframe, raised an eyebrow and sighed deeply. "You what? You absolute idiot! How could you forget something that important?"
"I don't know! I thought he'd just train for a bit and then come back, but... I didn't realize the time would work differently in there!" Raj's voice was a mix of panic and regret. "We could lose everything because of this."
Kunal pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer, his expression softening but still intense. "Alright, calm down. First things first, you need to register his name for the Battle of the Grand Selection. If he's going to make it in time, he needs that entry."
Raj nodded furiously, his thoughts racing. "You're right," he said, turning toward the door. "He said he'd be back in time, and I believe him. He will. Let's go to the registration office. Now."
Without another word, they rushed toward the office, their footsteps echoing in the corridors of the academy as their urgency mounted with each passing second.
Inside the Trivnal Tower Aamir stood in the center of the vast chamber, his stance poised and calm, his breathing steady. The tower, with its smooth stone walls and glowing, ever-shifting symbols, radiated a quiet energy. He had no time to waste—he had entered with the expectation of learning something critical, but he had no way of knowing how much time would pass before he would return. The shimmering figure of the master spirit materialized before him in a flash of light. The spirit was an elderly man with a regal air, his long white robes flowing with an ethereal grace, radiating an aura of power and wisdom that made the air itself feel charged.
Aamir bowed deeply, respecting the spirit's ancient presence. "Master Spirit."
The spirit observed him with a raised brow, his eyes sharp and calculating. "A mannered one, I see. Unlike the boy before you, who was too full of himself."