The heavy click of the hospital door closing behind them cut off the sounds of the room. Instantly, the soft smiles vanished from Vikram and Anjali’s faces.
A grim, heavy seriousness settled over them as they turned down the quiet hallway. They began walking toward the distant billing area, their boots clicking sharply against the polished floor.
Neither of them spoke for a long moment, the silence between them thick with unvoiced dread. The low hum of the fluorescent overhead lights only made the cold, sterile corridor feel narrower.
Anjali focused her mind, quietly weaving her magic to forge a secure mental connection with her husband. *“You should have scanned Rohan with your prana,”* her voice echoed directly in his mind, sharp and urgent. *“What did you see?”*
Vikram glanced over at Anjali, his eyes tracking the pale green walls for a brief moment. A deep, thoughtful frown creased his forehead.
*“I’m not entirely sure if what I’m sensing is correct,”* Vikram replied, his mental tone laced with genuine hesitation. *“But when I scanned Rohan’s body with my prana, I could feel that his physical energy was behaving differently.”*
Anjali’s mental brow furrowed as she matched his pace. *“Differently how?”*
*“It is as if the energy is under Rohan’s direct, conscious control,”* Vikram explained, his jaw tightening.
He knew the fundamentals by heart. Before an individual reaches the level where they can actively manipulate their internal energy, prana simply moves through the body according to natural instinct. It follows a passive, predetermined flow.
*“It is possible that he has finally become a martial artist,”* Vikram added after a tense pause.
In their world, martial artists were individuals who completely mastered their physical bodies through relentless training. Once a person reached the absolute pinnacle of physical conditioning, they unlocked the ability to control their prana.
Prana itself was the potent combination of physical energy and willpower. Anyone capable of commanding this internal force was recognized as a true martial artist.
Anjali remained completely silent inside the mental link, processing the information. Sensing her deep reservation, Vikram prompted, *“Did you find something too?”*
Anjali hesitated, her internal anxiety bleeding through the connection. *“I scanned him using my magic power.”*
She took a quiet, steadying breath before continuing. *“And I discovered that his mental energy has increased by a massive margin.”*
Vikram’s mental response was dismissive at first, his expression relaxing slightly. *“That’s common after an experience like that. It was a life-and-death situation.”*
He looked ahead at the approaching billing counter. *“In such extreme conditions, anyone's mentality will shift under pressure. That shift naturally causes a temporary spike in mental energy.”*
Anjali didn't respond immediately, letting the silence stretch until it felt heavy. *“Vikram, his mental energy didn't just spike,”* she said quietly. *“It more than doubled.”*
The sheer shock of her words hit Vikram like a physical blow. His right foot caught unexpectedly on the slick hospital floor, sending him sliding forward.
He threw his arms out wildly, fighting gravity as his boots screeched against the slick floor tiles. He barely managed to arrest his momentum, swaying back and forth before steadying his balance.
He glanced around awkwardly to ensure no passing nurses had seen him. Once he recovered his composure, his jaw dropped in sheer, unadulterated disbelief.
*“Doubled?”* he demanded through the mental link, his thoughts sharp and panicked. *“Are you joking with me, Anjali?”*
Anjali didn't look at him, keeping her eyes fixed on the long hallway ahead, but a wry, entirely humorless smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
*“I’m perfectly sure,”* she replied calmly. *“I checked his baseline right before his match. His mental energy has absolutely doubled.”*
She paused, letting the weight of the fact sink into his awareness. *“If he were a practicing magician, a surge of mental energy that massive would have pushed him straight into the next rank instantly.”*
The color drained from Vikram’s face, his expression turning deeply grim. *“You know exactly what it means for someone's mental energy to double overnight, don't you?”*
*“I know,”* Anjali replied quietly, her internal voice tightening with a mother's protectiveness. *“And yes, I already checked his soul structure. It is definitely our son. There is no doubt.”*
Vikram fell completely silent as they kept walking, his mind racing through the terrifying implications. *“So, according to your calculations, what could possibly cause this kind of anomaly?”*
Anjali’s mental tone sharpened with sudden, protective fury. *“It has to be something to do with the superpower of that brute in the ring.”*
*“You mean... Is it related to memories?”* Vikram reasoned, his eyebrows knitting together. *“But that kind of phenomenon only happens if a person suddenly gains extra memories, which is highly improbable. As a magician, you know better than anyone how dangerous that is.”*
He pressed on, his thoughts tumbling out rapidly. *“Forcing foreign memories inside your mind can completely shatter your willpower. If that happens, you lose total control over the very energies you command.”*
*“Even magicians who actively manipulate the energy of a chakra will completely lose their powers if they absorb the memories of someone else,”* Vikram pointed out, his thoughts growing increasingly heavy. *“The spiritual feedback alone would ruin them.”*
Anjali let out a long, slow breath, her shoulders drooping slightly. *“Because of that exact reason, I don't consider it a probable cause either,”* she admitted, her mental tone filled with deep exhaustion.
She stared down at the polished floor tiles as they kept walking. *“I honestly don't understand any other thing which might cause this condition,”* she added, her thoughts growing visibly depressed.
Vikram paused in the middle of the hallway, turning toward her. He reached out and placed a reassuring hand firmly on Anjali’s shoulder, offering a moment of warm comfort.
*“There’s no need to worry,”* Vikram said softly, keeping his voice steady to soothe her panic. *“Our son is fine. If there was a serious problem, he would have mentioned it to us.”*
A gentle, knowing smile tugged at his lips. *“And besides, what teenager doesn’t have some kind of secret of their own?”*
He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. *“Even if some kind of problem comes up in the future, we will handle it together.”*
The hard tension in Anjali’s face finally softened, and she managed to offer him a small, genuine smile in return.
They reached the brightly lit billing counter, paid the outstanding hospital bill, and then turned back toward the room.
As they reached the heavy door, they paused, their hands stopping just inches from the handle. The muffled sound of easy, lighthearted voices carried clearly through the thin gap.
Listening to the warm conversation flowing between Rohan and Riya finally brought a bright, relaxed smile to both of their faces. The lingering dread that had hung over them completely evaporated.
Vikram pushed the door open, stepping into the room with a cheerful expression. “Let’s go home,” he said. “Tomorrow will be your birthday party.”
Rohan scrambled out of the bed and practically jogged over to his parents, his feet moving restlessly. His eyes were bright, and he clearly couldn't contain the bouncing energy in his frame.
He was still riding a massive high from the raw excitement of gaining a new power. “Let’s go,” he said quickly, passing them to walk out into the corridor.
Vikram watched him go, his own internal energy signature fluctuating into complete confusion. He turned his head toward Anjali, making quick eye contact. *“Why is he so excited all of a sudden?”*
Anjali rolled her eyes, throwing him the exact look she usually reserved for total dummies. *“Didn’t you listen to their conversation just now?”* she answered back through the link. *“It should be because he talked to Riya.”*
With fond smiles playing on their lips, the two of them followed their son out into the evening air and walked toward their car.