Chapter 34: The Countdown Begins!

While they were making their way towards the dining hall they saw the hustle and bustle in the castle, they knew that today was their awakening day and it was a day of another public appearance too. 

Along the way they heard several servants talking about Aiden's awakening. 

Although a little surprised, the twins did not react much to the news. 

As they arrived at the dining room, they saw Arion sitting on his seat along with his wives on each side of the table. 

Beside Seraphina, who was sitting on the left was Aiden looking in their direction along with the rest. 

Looking at Aiden, the twins' eyebrows furrowed a little. 

The aura of the boy was a little dark. Seeing the look his half-siblings were giving him Aiden was confused. 

As the twins approached Erla's side of the table they sat one seat away from her, which was not new to anyone in the room. 

They have already gotten used to the twin's weird behavior. 

"Happy birthday Keiran,Luna" Seraphina's words caught the twins' attention, Keiran nodded at her while replying," Thank you." 

Seraphina's words made Erla look at the twins in a cheerful manner as she said " Happy birthday my dear children." her words only received nods from the twins. 

Arion looked at them with scanning eyes as words left his mouth, "As It is your tenth birthday, Did you two awaken your Ether power?" 

His direct question created a silent atmosphere in the dining room as both the queen looked at the twins with different gaze. 

Keiran looked at Seraphina's warm gaze and then looked at Erla's curious gaze as he replied back "No, not yet."

Hearing this response Arion did not say anything besides casting a side glance at Erla and continuing eating. 

Catching the look given by Arion, Erla understood the meaning behind them. 

She looked at the twins with the same calm face but they could see her aura turn colder and colder by each second.

'Let's be on guard who knows what she is planning.' Hearing those words Luna spoke with the same serious tone 'mhm, we need to speed up our training too'.

If Anyone had heard her words they would think she was being crazy for speaking such words because the training they currently do is already something that even the adult think before doing.

Increasing the level of such training meant crushing themselves. 

After the breakfast came to an end, Erla stood up and left the hall first without saying a word to anyone.

Arion looked at her and turned to the twins and said "I want you both present at tonight's party, I might have ignored your attitude of not coming to the previous few banquets till now. but you should know the importance of today's event. If you don't come, be ready for the consequences."

Without waiting for any response Arion left the room leaving Seraphina with the kids.

"You know you should not test his patience. He might have ignored you acting like that but that is only because he thinks you might gain some nice abilities." Seraphina words did not shock anyone as they already knew the nature of their father.

Sighing, Keiran stopped drinking his black coffee and placed the cup on the table. " Those nobles disgust us truly, even though we tried to put up with them for a year or two, nothing changes with them." 

Twirling the cup in hind Keiran continued 

"They just want to get on our good side while some openly asked for our hand in marriage" at the end of the sentence, the hollow look in their eyes shocked both mother and son duo. Seraphina saw the same cold and obsession filled eyes. 

Seraphina felt a headache coming as she now understood the amount of closeness their bond held. She knew about their love  for each other but this amount of obsession she has only seen people have for power not for another person.

" Anyways, if he decides to punish us for something we don't want to do, so be it." This time Luna spoke, making them turn towards her.

Keiran nodded and a thought passed his might which he decided to voice out " Seraphina, i wanted to know why the arena was created." His question stunned Seraphina as she looked at him with a puzzled expression.

" I meant there were no records of the reason why the arena was, all the books said that it was a joint decision made for the public, to enjoy themselves." he spoke the last words with more coldness and visible disgust. 

This question made Aiden curious too, although his dislike was not on the level of his siblings, he still did not like what the people did in the arena.

Seraphine sighed as she understood what the boy wanted to ask, after thinking for a moment she decided to tell the duo about the reason Arena was built.

As her words fell in the years of the children present in the room, they got aware of the dark past of the kingdom.

"crucible of destiny"

The place where the kingdom's residents shed their societal masks and revealed their true natures, hidden beneath the veneer of their daily lives.

The people of the kingdom had become so accustomed to the brutal and unrestrained atmosphere that the idea of residing in a safe place with someone else's rules did not sit well with them.

They demanded a lawless country where they could do as they pleased, and they pledged their allegiance to the king. 

The king himself was no stranger to this way of life, but he understood that such a kingdom could not endure for long. 

That's why he took steps to find a middle ground for their satisfaction.

He created an Arena and named it

In this lawless arena, there were no rules to constrain the participants.

It opened its bloodstained gates every five years, and those who entered did so by the luck of the lottery system, the ultimate gamble of fate.

Once inside, the combatants fought not only for their survival but also for their desires. 

The winner of each brutal match held the power to dictate the fate of their defeated opponent—whether it meant death, rape, servitude, or a twisted form of liberation.

As the battles raged on, the stakes climbed higher. The final victor, standing atop a mountain of conquests, would claim a hefty bounty of wealth and prestige within the kingdom.

This triumphant warrior held the choice to challenge the king, a duel where the stakes were nothing less than the demands of the kingdom or the very throne itself, all in exchange for their own life.

It was a merciless game of power, where the crucible molded destinies in the fires of ruthless ambition.

This revelation left everyone speechless. The degeneracy of the people of the kingdom surprised the twins. 

They understood the use of the noble system that Arion has implemented in the kingdom through the arena.

"Keiran, Luna, you two should rest. You might awaken at any time so be ready for it and call me if you need me." 

Seraphina's words made the duo smile a little as Aiden felt a little awkward due to how tense their relations have come to be due to various reasons.

"So, what power did you awaken?" Luna asked with a straight face as she looked at the red haired boy who flinched at her question.

Seraphina looked around, puzzling the twins with her actions.

" He awakened powers that are related to space, I think." 

Her words stunned the boy himself as well, till now he was puzzled about the nature of his powers.

"Arion and I have decided to keep it a secret so don't tell anyone." Her trust made the twins feel a newfound warmth. 

Keiran and Luna nodded with a serious expression in return and after a few minutes of talking all of them decided to leave as well.