keys (chapter 18)

Rudra with a tone of a child acting as child far below his age acting cutely but I want to know now

Ray and riven laughed looking at him

After waiting for a moment riven said let me explain

Riven's voice took on a serious tone, breaking the silence. His gaze fixed on Rudra, as he asked, "How much do you know about the keys?"

Rudra acted as hesitated,as his mind trying to gather the pieces of knowledge he had. "I don't know that much. But from what I heard, the ceremony of the keys is about obtaining them, and they grant you powers." He paused

Riven and Ray exchanged a look, waiting for him to continue. But Rudra remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then, at the same time, Riven and Rudra spoke in unison:

"Who told you that nonsense?"

Rudra looked at them in silence. "A random person I met on the road was talking about it."

"Oh, I see," Riven said, his expression softening. "Don't listen to people like that."

Ray, smiling, nodded. "It's not the whole picture."

Rudra, now curious, nodded at them cutely, sensing they were about to explain things in detail.

"We'll explain it to you," Riven said

As Riven spoke, his tone remained serious but not unkind. Rudra noticed that there were hints of hesitation in Riven's words, but the young boy also understood that Riven wasn't lying—he was just withholding some information. Despite that, Rudra could sense there was more to the story than what was being shared.

Ray and Riven exchanged another glance, both wondering the same thing in their minds: Is Rudra from an isolated place where he doesn't even know the basics about the keys? It seemed that way. To most people in the world, the ceremony of the keys and their impact were unimaginable on there life this simple knowledge everyone was expected to have.

He continued

"The ceremony of keys takes place in a special location," Riven continued, now more focused. "It's known as the Gateway to the Worlds of Keys.

Only the most powerful individuals of the continent oversee this event, ensuring the safety of both the civilians and the participants."

Rudra listened closely, his expression serious as he took in every word. He was already starting to realize how dangerous this ceremony could be.

"Every kingdom has only one gateway to the worlds of keys," Riven went on. "It opens once a year, and when it does, the keys choose their owners as they please. And sometimes…" He paused,

His voice growing more serious. "Some keys don't choose at all. They can harm or even kill you if you're not prepared. It happened lot of the time before. It's said they doesn't want an unworthy person to look at them

Rudra's thoughts raced. This ceremony... it's more interesting than I thought.

Riven continued, explaining that it was rare for keys to choose their owners, as they had high standards and preferred those who were worthy. Rudra's eyes widened when he heard the next part.

"There are different ranks for keys," Riven said

"The number of shards on the stone at the key's head determines its rank."

Rudra was captivated. He had never heard of such a system before what are those key's are those some kids nd of creatures

Riven nodded in yes and continued

"Ranks 1-3 are called Inlarva, the lowest rank," Riven explained. "Ranks 4-6 are Larva, the middle rank. 7-8 are Earthlarva, and 9 shards make up Heavenlarva. If a key has 10 shards, it's an Angelarva. And if it has 14 shards…" Riven's voice dropped lower, "It's Archangellarva. There are only a handful of people who has this "

Riven's tone shifted, becoming more somber.

"And then there are the Forbidden Keys—the ones with 18 and 21 shards. Those are called the Gods of the Worlds of Keys. But… as far as I know, they don't exist. People believe they're a myth."

Rudra's mind was reeling, absorbing all this new information. He had come here expecting one thing, but what he was hearing was much more interesting and far more attention taking than he could have imagined.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "Where is the ceremony going to be held and thought i was going to stay away from that place at first but not it's different

Riven looked at him, concern flashing across his face. "So, you don't realize the danger yet? You're not prepared, Rudra. You've had no training for years. And physically… you're the weakest kid I've ever seen. You can't even hold a blade properly."

Rudra said he completed misunderstood things in his thoughts

Rudra glanced at his hand,as he mentioned feeling the weight of Riven's words. He wasn't wrong.

"The ceremony is in 15 days," Riven added grimly. "You have barely two weeks to prepare. And look at you and said Rudra, the stakes are much higher than you realize."

Riven let the weight of his words settle before he added, "Everyone your age knows this basic information. You, however, have missed out on a lot." He looked at Rudra, a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

Rudra stood silent for a moment. He knew Riven was right. He had no training, no knowledge, and his physical abilities were far below what they should be. And knew all of that

Riven, pointed to a corner of the room. "There are a bunch of blades there. Pick one that you can handle get prepared was much as you can

Rudra looked toward the corner, moving towards the swords with exhausted look while acting as he was alright . He picked up a blade, testing its weight. It was too heavy. He moved to the next, but it didn't feel right either. He continued searching until he found one—thin but strong, fitting his hand perfectly.

Feeling a rush of satisfaction, Rudra felt ready. But just as he prepared to move he realised he should act as normal kid at the time like this they will scream in happyness he was about to scream but a sharp clash of swords broke his focus. He turned swiftly to see Riven and Ray engaged in a fierce sparring match.

The sparring between Ray and Riven was nothing short of extraordinary. Rudra could only watch in awe, barely able to keep up with the sheer speed and agility of their movements. As they moved, it was like they were one with the air—fluid, almost invisible. The speed at which they fought made it nearly impossible for Rudra to follow their every action, and the distance between them seemed to shrink and grow in the blink of an eye.

Every leap, every jump, was a blur. Ray and Riven leapt with such power and precision that they covered 20 meters in a single bound, almost like wild animals darting through the air. Their bodies were lithe, controlled, yet filled with explosive energy. As they moved, the ground seemed to tremble beneath their feet, and the very air seemed to vibrate with their intensity. Rudra stood frozen, his eyes wide with amazement, as his mind tried to process the spectacle before him.

The blades in their hands were extensions of themselves. Riven's sword moved like a living serpent, its sharp edge cutting through the air with a hiss. Each swing was precise, powerful, and deadly. Ray's sword parried and countered with equal intensity, but there was a noticeable strain in his movements. His breathing became more labored, his chest rising and falling with the effort of keeping up with Riven's relentless assault.

Suddenly, the sound of their swords clashing rang through the air like the strike of a bell. The impact was so forceful that the ground seemed to shake, and a shockwave rippled through the space around them. Riven's sword met Ray's with such force that Ray was momentarily pushed back. In the blink of an eye, Riven's blade was at Ray's neck, a split second from delivering a lethal strike.

Ray stood there, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face as he gasped for air. Despite the fact that he had been bested, there was a look of admiration in his eyes. His pride wasn't bruised; rather, there was a quiet respect for his opponent. It was clear to Rudra that this wasn't just a typical sparring match—it was a battle between equals, but one where Riven was still the stronger.

Rudra, still stunned by what he had just witnessed, took a step forward, eager to say something. But before he could speak, Riven's voice cut through the air.

"You're getting dull," Riven said, his tone laced with amusement. "You've been holding back, haven't you didn't use you that thing even for a second

Rudra blinked in surprise. "He was holding back?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Riven's chest puffed with pride as he looked at Ray. "He is the prodigy of our kingdom," Riven declared. "They call him the upcoming Archangel of Dream." There was a certain reverence in his voice, as if Ray's potential was something extraordinary—almost mythic.

Riven continued, "After Ray started wielding a sword seriously, the gap between us closed

Rudra's mind swirled with the weight of Riven's words. Ray... the prodigy? He's that strong? He glanced at Ray, trying to understand the full extent of his abilities. It was hard to fathom how someone could move that fast, that fluidly. Even with his first time holding a sword in years, Ray was still a force to be reckoned with.

Ray, hearing Rudra's stunned question, turned to him with a slight smile, his breath still heavy from the exertion. "Even then, you could barely keep up, huh? That's how fast I am." His tone was teasing, but there was no arrogance behind it—just a quiet confidence that came from years of hard work.

Riven joined in the laughter, his voice light but knowing. "You can do better than us, Rudra. We both know it."

As they shared a moment of levity, Riven's expression shifted, his eyes scanning Ray's body with a critical gaze. "But you need to get back in shape, Ray," Riven said, his voice no longer playful, but filled with a sense of urgency.

The weight of Riven's words hung in the air. Despite Ray's immense skill, Riven could see the cracks in his form. Time was running out, and the pressure was mounting. Ray's strength wasn't just for show—it was vital for the challenges ahead.