4:00 A.M. – The First Step
The shrill sound of the alarm pierced through the early morning silence.
Rivet blinked his eyes open, groggy yet determined. He sat up slowly, rubbed his face, and stared at the faint blue light seeping through the curtains.
"Let's do this," he whispered to himself.
Within minutes, he was outside, shoes tied, tracksuit on, headphones plugged in. The streets were empty, the air was cold, and a peaceful silence hung around him.
He reached the park near his house and began his warm-up. Jogging laps, push-ups, crunches, agility drills—everything he could manage with his own knowledge.
But something still felt incomplete. His breaths were heavier than they should be, his muscles tired quickly. He pushed through it, refusing to give in.
The Usual Morning
After the workout, Rivet returned home.
"Where are you training to go, Olympics?" his mom joked as she handed him a glass of milk and toast.
Rivet gave a faint smile and quickly finished breakfast.
"Going to be late," he said, grabbing his schoolbag and heading out on his cycle.
School – A New Presence
The classroom buzzed as students chatted and settled down.
Their teacher entered with someone behind her.
"Class, this is Keshav, your new classmate. He'll be joining you from today."
Keshav stepped forward with a relaxed smile. His messy black hair fell just right over his forehead, his shirt untucked slightly, and his sleeves rolled up halfway. There was something effortlessly cool about him—confident yet casual.
Girls were already whispering.
Boys stared, measuring him up.
Keshav walked past empty seats and sat right next to Rivet, giving him a small nod.
Rivet glanced at him and paused for a moment.
"Where have I seen him before?" he wondered.
The thought lingered... but then faded.
Lunch Break – A Strange Connection
Rivet stood quietly near the corridor during lunch, half-lost in thought.
Keshav approached with a tray in hand and said,
"You call this food? I think I just bit into a rubber samosa."
Rivet chuckled. Keshav's timing was perfect—casual, witty, and oddly comforting.
They ate together, talked a little. Keshav cracked jokes and observed things that most people missed.
Suddenly, a boy from their class pushed past Rivet, giving him an unnecessary shove.
Keshav looked up, voice still calm but eyes cold:
"Push him again, and I'll make sure you eat through a straw for a week."
His tone was calm—but dangerous.
The boy backed off instantly.
Rivet looked at Keshav, surprised. That light-hearted boy had just flipped a switch.
"He's... different," Rivet thought.
Nightfall – Doubts & Determination
That night, Rivet lay in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling fan slowly spinning.
"I trained today… but this isn't enough. My body's not adapting fast enough. If I want to be ready for the tournament… I'll have to push harder. A lot harder."
His mind raced with possibilities—longer hours, better drills, diet changes.
Eventually, his eyes grew heavy, and he drifted into sleep…
The Dream
…But the night wasn't silent.
Rain tapped against the windows, a soft symphony of drizzling drops.
In his dream, Rivet found himself walking inside a dark, ancient cave—a place full of shadows and echoing silence.
A voice called him from deep within. It was faint, but persistent.
He walked slowly, drawn forward by something he couldn't understand.
His path was blocked by a giant stone slab. He tried pushing it—once, twice—until finally, with a deep breath and all his strength, he moved it aside.
What he saw beyond the stone left him breathless.
A massive hidden chamber, glowing with sunlight pouring in through a giant crack in the ceiling. A beautiful waterfall flowed from one side, surrounded by bright green plants and velvet-soft grass. The air felt warm, pure, almost heavenly.
It was like a lost piece of paradise had fallen to Earth.
He stepped closer… but suddenly—
Someone pushed him from behind.
He fell forward, straight toward the waterfall—
Awakening
"Rivet!"
He jerked awake. His father stood at the door, knocking.
"Your alarm's been ringing for five minutes, beta. Don't you have training today?"
Rivet sat up, heart pounding, dream fading fast like smoke.
"Y-yeah, Papa… Thanks for waking me up. I almost missed it. Good morning!"
He got out of bed, mind still lingering in that mysterious place.
But he knew one thing for sure:
Today's training… would be different.
[End of Chapter 4]