The moment Rivet's body hit the bed, his senses surrendered. No thoughts. No dreams. Just silence.
But for the first time in days… that silence cracked.
A chill clawed at his skin.
He opened his eyes — but not to his room.
Everything around him was white. Endless, unbroken white.
Snow stretched to the horizon in every direction — an eternal, frozen graveyard of silence. The sky above was a pale grey canvas, with clouds so dense, they swallowed the light. Rivet's breath misted in the air, each exhale sharp and shallow. His boots crunched against the hardened snow as he stumbled forward, his hands shivering despite no wind.
"Where am I?" he whispered to himself, voice lost in the void.
Then, he saw it — a dark scar on the snowy landscape: a cave, jagged and gaping. Something about it called to him.
He walked toward it, the ice crackling beneath every step.
Inside, the darkness thickened. There were no torches, no light — only instinct pulled him forward, like he was meant to be here. Meant to see something.
Then, a red light flickered.
Faint. Distant. Pulsing.
He followed.
Deeper.
Colder.
His breath now echoed like whispers in the void.
And then he saw it — a massive glacier, buried deep in the cave's heart, almost glowing from within. That same red light pulsed inside it — trapped, alive, watching.
He walked to it slowly, unsure, but drawn by something ancient.
His palm touched the icy surface.
And the moment his skin met the cold…
A voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere —
"You must become worthy."
Everything shattered.
Rivet gasped.
His eyes flew open.
The dim light of dawn seeped through the window blinds.
His alarm buzzed beside him — 4:30 AM.
His limbs felt like they had been buried in stone.
But he got up.
Like every morning.
He winced with every motion, his body still sore from the forest training, but he didn't complain. The uniform was folded neatly on the chair. He reached for it, his fingers stiff. By the time he stepped out into the corridor, it was 5:12 AM.
But something was… off.
The air outside felt heavy. Eerie.
The sky above was blood-red, cloaked in thick, unmoving clouds. The sun was nowhere in sight, hiding behind layers of gray. The breeze carried a strange static, as if nature itself was holding its breath.
Rivet reached the ground — and paused.
Only a few cadets were there. Scattered. Silent.
"Where is everyone?" he thought.
He scanned the field, hoping to spot Keshav, but couldn't.
Just then, Major Ranjeet Singh walked in, his expression unreadable.
"Where the hell is everyone?" he said, looking around. "Did half of you forget this is the Army?"
Rivet stood at attention silently, feeling the weight of the morning press against his spine.
One by one, more cadets began arriving. Some limping, some yawning — exhaustion etched into their faces. Even Keshav stumbled in, rubbing his eyes.
Rivet walked up to him. "Where were you, bhai?"
Keshav exhaled, chuckling. "Bro… I was dead yesterday. I think I passed out mid-dream."
Ranjeet's voice boomed again, "Cadets who came late today — enjoy your punishment later. I don't care how tired you are. If you're here to become soldiers, act like it."
No one dared speak.
Training resumed like any other day.
Later, during breakfast, the mess hall hummed with a low murmur. The ceiling fans creaked slowly, and trays clinked on metal tables.
Keshav poked at his food. "Man, today's weather… it feels strange. Like… something's off."
Rivet nodded. "Feels like it's waiting to explode."
From the next table, Arnav chimed in, laughing, "Bro, even the sun seems to be on leave. Maybe it joined us in forest training and gave up."
Everyone chuckled lightly. But beneath it, the unease lingered.
Evening came, and with it, a downpour. The rain hit the windows like it wanted to break in. The army campus looked blurred behind the water-streaked glass.
Rivet sat on his bed, staring out at the storm. His body still ached, but his mind was restless.
"It's been days since I called home," he realized.
He reached for his phone, tapped a number saved by muscle memory.
It rang once.
Then twice.
"Hello?"
His mother's voice.
Rivet smiled, softening. "Maa… how are you?"
"Ohh beta…" Her voice warmed. "I'm okay. You tell me — how's training? You don't even remember your mother anymore?"
Rivet laughed lightly. "It's not like that, Maa… it's just that training is so intense, I barely get any time."
"No problem," she said. "How are you? Are you eating on time? Are you getting too exhausted?"
"Everything's fine, Maa," he replied. "Are you taking care of yourself? Taking medicines on time, right?"
"Yes, everything's on time. Don't worry."
Then came a familiar chirp — his sister Ritu grabbed the phone.
"Bhaiyaaa! When are you coming back?"
Rivet chuckled. "You tell me — the moment you say so, I'll return."
"No! Come back only when you're strong. Like a real soldier, okay?"
"Done," Rivet said, smiling. "Then you better get ready to salute me."
They both laughed.
Then he asked quietly, "Maa… where's Papa?"
A pause.
She replied calmly, "Beta… he's just stepped outside. He should be back any moment now."
Rivet's voice lowered. "Everything's okay, right?"
"Of course," she said quickly. "What could be wrong? Everything's fine here. You just focus on your training. Don't worry about us."
Rivet stared out the window for a moment, the raindrops blurring the world beyond.
"Okay, Maa. Take care of yourself… and Ritu."
"And you too, beta," her voice softened. "Take care of yourself."
The call ended.
The silence returned.
But not the peace.
Rivet placed the phone on the table and leaned back, watching the storm rage outside.
Inside him, something stirred — something left behind in that dream, beneath the glacier, still whispering.
"You must become worthy."