Chapter 7: The Turning Point

Stage 1 had finally ended. The school grounds slowly emptied as students went home, some happy, some disappointed. Rivet walked out too—tired, but holding himself together. He hadn't ranked high, but he had qualified. That was enough for now.

At home, his parents welcomed him with warm smiles.

"You did really well today, beta," his mother said kindly.

"Yes, we're proud of you. You gave your best," his father added.

Rivet smiled slightly. "Thanks... I'm just glad I made it."

He freshened up, had dinner, and then went to his room. He lay on his bed, hoping sleep would come quickly.

But it didn't.

His mind wouldn't stop spinning.

How will I survive tomorrow? What if I mess up? Can I even reach the top 20?

He tossed and turned, thinking about Stage 2. It was going to be harder—mentally and physically.

Eventually, his thoughts began to blur. His eyes closed. Sleep finally pulled him in.

The Dream Returns

Rivet found himself standing near a huge waterfall again—the same place from his old dreams. Mist rose all around him. The sound of the rushing water filled the air.

Everything felt so real.

Then it happened again.

He was pushed.

He fell off the cliff and into the deep pit below. This time, the fall felt longer... heavier.

When he landed, he wasn't hurt. But it was dark. Completely silent.

Then, a tall shadow appeared in front of him. Huge and mysterious. Not fully visible, but clearly powerful.

Rivet called out, his voice shaking. "Who... who's there?"

The figure didn't answer. Instead, it asked him:

"What is your name?"

The voice was deep—calm but full of power. And it was familiar. The same voice he had heard before—in that very first dream, where he stood alone in a massive battlefield surrounded by chaos, fire, and fallen warriors.

Then it spoke again:

"You are not finished yet, Shatrantak..."

That name echoed in his ears.

Before he could say anything, the dream shattered.

A Rough Morning

"Rivet! Wake up! You're very late today!"

His mother's voice pulled him out of sleep. He looked at the clock. 7:42 AM. Tournament starts at 8!

"Oh no…"

He scrambled through his routine, stuffed his bag, grabbed his cycle—and sped off. No breakfast. No time.

Halfway there—screeech! The brakes didn't catch. He skidded off balance and fell—right in front of a car. Tyres screeched. The bumper brushed past—his foot crushed under it.

Pain flared, but Rivet pushed himself up. His leg was bruised, bleeding slightly, but not broken.

He limped, then forced his legs to pedal again.

He reached the school gate just as the announcement came:

"Rivet Sharma, report to the ground immediately."

He made it. Barely.

Stage 2: Combat and Strategy

The coordinator stood in the middle of the field, holding a mic.

"Well done to those who reached Stage 2," he said. "Today's round will test your combat skills, quick thinking, and teamwork. There are three parts: 1v1 duels, team problem solving, and a capture-the-flag challenge."

Rivet's name came up quickly for the 1v1 match.

Rivet stepped into the circle. His opponent was taller, faster, and experienced. The whistle blew.

Within seconds, Rivet was on the defensive. Dodging, stumbling, reacting.

"Focus, Rivet... you can't lose in the first round..."

From the sidelines, Keshav's voice cut through:

"Step in, rotate left, then sweep. Use their speed against them!"

Rivet's mind clicked. The next move, he feinted, stepped inside his opponent's swing, rotated—and swept his leg.

Thud.

The opponent crashed to the ground.

Victory.

Rivet stepped out of the ring, heart still racing.

Team Formation

A screen near the podium blinked and showed team assignments.

Team 10:

Rivet Sharma

Nakul Varma – looked nervous and weak, even thinner than Rivet.

Shrishti Mehra – tall and athletic, with sharp eyes.

Tanya Singh – quiet, smart, always writing something.

Arnav Bhagat – serious and silent, hard to read.

This is going to be a challenge, Rivet thought.

Short Break

A short break was given before the next round.

Rivet sat under a tree, sipping water and rubbing his foot.

"Nice sweep," said a voice.

He looked up. Keshav.

"Thanks," Rivet said with a tired smile. "You really saved me."

Keshav grinned. "That's what teammates are for."

Rivet nodded. Then looked out toward his team.

Now the real challenge begins...

To be continued...