Rudra stepped onto the training grounds, his wings rustling behind him. The morning air was crisp, and the field stretched wide, bordered by towering stone walls. On the training ground, only three kids stood in the vast open space. The towering stone walls surrounded them, casting long shadows on the ground as the crisp morning air settled around them.

Suddenly, Rudra's mind drifted.

It wasn’t just a memory—it was something more.

For a brief moment, he wasn’t here. He was in his Memories

The thick scent of blood filled his nose, overwhelming, suffocating. Beneath him, the ground wasn’t dry earth—it was soaked in red, a vast pool of it stretching endlessly. The air felt dense, almost heavy, pressing down on him.

The image before him blurred, shifting, overlapping with the present. The training ground. The empty space. The three figures standing there.

It was the same.

Then, just as suddenly, he snapped back to reality.

He lifted his head, his eyes settling on the two figures waiting ahead.

Ray and Vidar stood in the center of the training grounds.

Ray practically vibrated with excitement, shifting his weight from foot to foot, while Vidar remained still, watching with his usual composed expression.

“You took long enough,” Ray called out, grinning. “I was starting to think you’d fallen back asleep.”

As he spoke, Rudra’s gaze dropped to the ground.

A line of ants crawled past, moving in perfect formation across the dirt.

Ray huffed. “Look at this guy, ignoring us again.”

The words reached Rudra’s ears. His expression didn’t change, but inside, he switched.

His voice came out light, casual—part of his carefully crafted act.

“When did I ignore you, brother? I was just watching these ants.”

Ray frowned. “And?”

“They looked like us,” Rudra said simply.

Vidar’s eyes sharpened slightly, curiosity flickering in his gaze. “How do you mean?”

Ray and Vidar both stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

Rudra let a brief pause stretch before answering. His tone was thoughtful, but his face remained innocent.

“Ants, despite their tiny size, exist in the midst of a vast and intricate world. Just like us humans.”

Ray exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair. “That’s it?”

Rudra nodded.

Ray groaned. “I thought you were going to start talking about creepy stuff again.”

Vidar, who had been silently listening, turned to Ray. “Creepy? What kind of creepy stuff?”

Ray smirked slightly, glancing at Rudra.

“Sometimes he says things that sound… off. Like he’s a completely different person for a moment.”

Vidar looked at Rudra and grinned. “Interesting. I’d love to hear some of your creepy stuff sometime.”

Rudra’s lips curled into a playful smile. “It’ll be my pleasure, Vidar,” he said in a tone that sounded like a mischievous child.

Vidar chuckled, his eyes gleaming. “Even your creepy stuff would probably sound cute. Right, Ray?” He turned to Ray with a wink.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Ray couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, I suppose it would,” he said, nodding exaggeratedly. “Who knew creepy could be cute?”

The moment felt lighter as they all exchanged knowing looks.

Then Ray suddenly froze, eyes widening. “Wait a minute… why are we standing here chatting? Oh right! Rudra, you distracted me! We were supposed to be testing our new abilities!”

Rudra snickered, his laughter easy and carefree, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Ray glanced at him, narrowing his eyes. “You’re laughing at me, huh?”

Rudra smiled innocently. “Not laughing, just… amused.”

Vidar raised an eyebrow. “Alright, alright. I’ll go first.”

With a thoughtful pause, Vidar stepped away from Ray and Rudra, his movements calm and controlled. A quick gust of wind lifted his hair slightly, and his green eyes glowed with a faint, almost mystical light. He stopped at a comfortable distance, still and confident. After a just few seconds he opened his eyes and started to walk

Rudra tilted his head, an eyebrow raised. “Ray, why is he walking toward us now?”

Ray grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. “Oh, didn’t you know? He’s done. Figured out his ability.”

Rudra blinked, a slight frown on his face as he looked at Ray. “How did he do that?” His curiosity piqued, and his words came out quicker than usual.

Ray rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Come on, Rudra. Didn’t you do the same thing? It’s easy.”

That's what I am saying it's to easy rudra said in s cutely tone

Ray smiled and said that what's it about it needed to be easy “ if we couldn't gasp our ability in two weeks then we are going to die in thir as he said that

Rudra narrowed his eyes slightly. “What do you mean?”

Ray looked at him and said nothing as he said that rudra ignored the his asnd asked another question “how do you learn it “

Ray chuckled, leaning back casually. “Simple. Close your eyes, think about your Key, remember something about its characteristics That’s when your ability kicks in.”

Rudra processed the words, his gaze steady on Ray.

“That’s it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ray nodded, his smile still playful. “Yep, that’s it.”

Rudra’s thoughts buzzed. “How does it work though?” he asked, still not completely satisfied.

Ray didn’t miss a beat. “When you remember something about your Key, new memories flood in. Everything you need to know about your ability—what it does, how to use it—just pops up. Simple as that.”

Rudra paused, his expression thoughtful. For a split second, his mind wandered elsewhere. Jaipa… that little gremlin kept messing with me last night.

A voice suddenly rang in his head, teasing.

“Hey, I wasn’t messing with you. Don’t make it sound like I’m the bad guy.”

Rudra didn’t flinch, but his thoughts sharpened. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

Jaipa’s voice sounded almost too amused. “Are you forgetting something? I’m bonded to your soul. I hear your thoughts, genius. And by the way, don’t think anything weird.”

Rudra’s face remained a blank mask, though internally, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Of course, Jaipa would be eavesdropping.

Rudra stood there, his usual mask firmly in place. But then, unexpectedly, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Jaipa, floating in front of him, froze mid-air. His tiny wings faltered for a second, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

It was the first time Jaipa had ever seen Rudra smile.

For a long moment, Jaipa didn’t speak, his mind struggling to process the sight. His gaze flicked from Rudra to the distant training ground. The air around him seemed to thicken as he floated closer, voice softer now.

“How… how do you smile?” Jaipa finally asked, his voice full of confusion.

Rudra met his gaze, his expression unreadable. He glanced over at Ray and Vidar, standing still as usual, their eyes fixed on them. But they hadn’t reacted. They hadn’t noticed.

Why aren’t they reacting? Even after seeing you smile, why are they so indifferent?

Jaipa’s voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and mocking.

“So, you actually are a little dumb, huh?”

Jaipa’s laugh echoed through Rudra’s mind, high-pitched and teasing. After a moment, he sobered, his expression turning serious. “Is it because of these kids? That’s why you’re smiling?”

Rudra opened his mouth, ready to brush off the question. But before he could speak, Jaipa cut him off, his voice insistent.

“Don’t you dare dodge this question.”

Rudra’s gaze shifted downward, his smile fading as the truth settled heavy in his chest. He looked back at Jaipa, his voice low.

“It’s just an act. Something I need to do in order to survive here with them.” He paused, the weight of his words pressing down. “It’s a small price to pay. A full meal, a bed to sleep in, a warm shelter where I don’t have to worry about freezing to death in the cold.”

Jaipa floated quietly in front of him, studying his face for a long time. Finally, after a long silence, he spoke softly.

“Yes, it’s a small price for that. But don’t forget, Rudra… You’re paying more than just with smiles.”

Rudra’s eyes flickered for a moment, but his expression remained unchanged.

Jaipa floated in front of Rudra, his usual teasing expression replaced with something more serious. "Aha, I did lie about how to use my ability. It's just that I’m different from the other Keys."

Rudra’s thoughts flickered back to last night’s conversation, but before he could dive deeper, he noticed Vidar standing there. Vidar’s smile was calm and genuine, not like the fake smiles Rudra often wore himself.

Vidar glanced between Ray and Rudra, his expression unchanged as a soft breeze blew past them. He stayed silent for a beat before speaking, his voice calm but with a hint of quiet excitement.

"I think my ability is pretty useful in battle," Vidar said, his gaze focused and unwavering. "It can be used offensively and defensively."

Rudra raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. "Good for you, Vidar. Twelve shards, of course it would be useful."

He couldn’t help it. It was obvious, after all. Even a ten-shard Key could hold its own against an entire army if used right. But Vidar? He had twelve. It was ridiculous.

Vidar continued, his voice smooth and steady, but there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes now. "My ability lets me generate runes in my fists."

Ray, who had been practically bouncing with excitement, leaned in, eyes wide. “Aha, what kind of runes are you talking about?”

Vidar grinned at Ray’s enthusiasm, then took a moment to reply. “Quite a few types, actually.”

Ray’s curiosity grew, his impatience obvious. “Go on then!”

-Combat Runes

" Vidar said, his tone casual but heavy with meaning. "Ones that enhance strength, speed, or durability.”

Ray’s eyes almost sparkled. “And?”

-Explosive Runes...

- Binding Runes…

- Runes of Protection

,” Vidar continued, his expression still composed. But then, his voice dropped slightly, and Rudra felt the air shift. “And a few

- Forbidden/Ancient Runes.”

The moment those words hit the air, everything felt heavier.

Ray was stunned into silence, eyes wide as he tried to process what Vidar had just said. But Rudra? He just stared, unblinking. His mind was already working—Yeah, of course Ray’s shocked. That’s crazy power.

But then something else happened. Jaipa, hovering near Rudra, seemed to stumble mid-air. His wings flapped furiously to regain control, and he zipped closer to Rudra, his voice high-pitched with urgency.

“Hey, kid," Jaipa said, sounding more desperate than Rudra had ever heard. "You’re acting, right? Act however you need to, but get close to that kid. Somehow.”

Rudra blinked, his mind racing as he processed Jaipa’s words. Why’s he so desperate?

“Why are you so desperate?” Rudra asked, his voice steady, but his gaze unwavering.

Jaipa frowned, his tiny face scrunching in frustration. “I’m not desperate, you little mug. It’s for your safety.”

Rudra tilted his head, still confused. “What’s so special about this guy’s ability?”

Jaipa sighed deeply. “You really don’t get it, do you? This kid holds the best offensive, defensive, and support abilities. It’s like he’s holding a whole bunch of powers in his hands. He can boost his strength or agility, heal himself, and even stop opponents from moving. And the worst part? The Forbidden Runes. Only he knows what they do, but even a mid-level Forbidden Rune would wipe anyone out.”

Rudra’s gaze flicked back to Vidar,

“Vidar,” Rudra finally said, his voice calm, but the weight of his words clear. “That’s an impressive ability.”

Vidar gave him a knowing smirk. “Aha, I know.”

He turned to Ray, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Hey, Ray, why don’t you go ahead and test out your ability? Let’s see if it’s better than mine.”

Ray, fully charged with excitement, grinned back. “Aha! You bet it is, Vidar! I’ll show you,” he said with a teasing wink before turning and walking away from them.