The members of Eternal Wings, The Rising Heroes, and Platinum Edge were all gathered inside the same room.
The atmosphere was heavy.
No one knew what to say.
Drakar and Solreth had already received treatment for their injuries. Their wounds had been bandaged, but the tension in the room remained.
Everyone had the same questions in mind.
Why did Solreth surrender?
What was the reason behind his actions?
And what exactly did he want to tell Drakar and Raedon?
Silence filled the room until Solreth finally looked toward Drakar and began to speak.
"Twins may not be very common among humans. But races like ours, and others such as demons, have twins much more often than you might think."
His voice remained calm. "And because of that, stories about twins are common as well."
He folded his arms. "They say twins share a special bond. They think alike. They understand each other without words. Some even say their bond can never be broken."
Solreth paused for a moment. "But I don't know how much of that is actually true."
His eyes slowly shifted toward Drakar.
It felt as though he was trying to push Drakar into revealing the truth himself.
Drakar remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he slowly looked toward Raedon.
Raedon frowned.
"Can someone tell me what's going on?"
He looked around the room.
"And why exactly was I called here?"
Drakar lowered his head.
"Raedon..." His voice was quiet. "I'm sorry."
Raedon blinked.
Absolutely confused.
"Huh?"
He stared at his brother.
"What are you talking about? Sorry for what?"
Drakar clenched his fists.
"I lied to you."
The room became even quieter.
"And I kept the truth away from you."
Raedon still looked confused.
But he remained silent and waited for Drakar to continue.
Drakar took a deep breath.
"Our parents did not die in an accident."
Raedon's eyes widened slightly.
He didn't know what to say.
He didn't know how to react.
Drakar continued.
"They were killed."
His voice trembled slightly.
"Alongside everyone else in our village."
The room felt colder.
"One of our own kind killed them."
He lowered his eyes.
"Because they were weak."
Raedon's mind froze.
The words didn't seem real.
"What...?"
He shook his head.
"I don't get it."
His voice became weaker.
"What are you saying?"
Drakar continued speaking.
"That day, both of us were caught in an explosion."
He looked at Raedon.
"We survived."
His voice softened.
"But you were unconscious."
Drakar let out a slow sigh.
"And after you woke up... you didn't remember anything."
The regret in his voice was obvious.
"So I decided to keep the truth to myself."
His fists tightened.
"I thought it was the right thing to do."
He lowered his head.
"I'm really sorry."
His voice cracked slightly.
"You deserved to know the truth... but I wasn't able to tell you."
Raedon remained silent. His emotions were a mess. Part of him understood that Drakar had only wanted to protect him. But another part of him felt robbed. The truth had belonged to him too. He wanted to yell. He wanted to be angry. Yet there was something more important he wanted to know first.
His voice shook with both fear and anger.
"Wait..."
He swallowed hard.
"They were killed by one of our own?"
His eyes slowly moved toward Solreth.
"You don't mean to tell me that the one who killed them is..."
Before he could finish...
Solreth spoke.
"That day, I saw both of you."
Raedon's mind went blank. Lightning crackled around his body. The room shook slightly Without thinking, Raedon rushed forward. Thunder gathered around his claws as he lunged straight at Solreth. Yet Solreth didn't move. He didn't even try to dodge. Just before Raedon could reach him... Zhyragos stepped forward. His hand grabbed Raedon's wrist firmly.
Raedon glared at him.
Pain and anger filled his eyes.
"Let go of me!"
Zhyragos didn't move.
Then Drakar spoke.
"Raedon..."
His voice was calm.
"I know exactly how you feel."
Raedon froze.
No one understood his anger better than Drakar.
Drakar continued.
"But something tells me there is more to this than what we know."
He looked directly at Solreth.
"At least hear him out."
His voice became firmer.
"Let him finish his story."
Drakar paused.
"After that... we'll decide what to do."
Raedon wanted to refuse. Every part of him wanted to attack Solreth right there. But when he looked at Drakar, he stopped. If even Drakar, the one who had carried this pain for years, could remain patient... Then he could wait a little longer.
Slowly, Raedon stepped back. Solreth continued.
"I saw both of you that day."
His eyes became distant.
"Raedon was unconscious and Drakar was desperately trying to wake you up."
The memory seemed clear in his mind.
"The village was already gone."
He lowered his eyes.
"There was nothing left."
His voice remained calm.
"No mercy for the weak."
The words felt heavy.
"Everyone had been killed."
He looked toward the twins.
"But somehow, both of you survived."
He continued.
"When I saw your brother struggling, I told him to leave."
His gaze shifted toward Drakar.
"I told him to get stronger."
His voice became quieter.
"And that his time would come."
Raedon's anger immediately returned.
"So that's it?"
His voice rose.
"You killed our parents and left us alone because we were weak?"
Lightning crackled around him again.
"And now you're acting like some saint who regrets everything?"
He pointed at Solreth.
"Cut that crap."
His voice echoed through the room.
"I'll kill you right here."
Solreth remained calm.
Zhyragos once again stood between them.
Raedon looked at him angrily.
"Would you leave him alone if he killed your parents?"
The room fell silent.
Then Zhyragos spoke.
"You know how strong I am now."
His voice was calm.
"But I wasn't always like this."
Everyone looked toward him.
"I was weak."
His eyes lowered.
"I was different."
He smiled bitterly.
"People looked down on me because of that."
He paused.
"My mother died giving birth to me."
The room became quieter.
"Many believed I was cursed."
His eyes hardened.
"My own father despised me."
His voice softened.
"Only my grandmother loved me."
A faint sadness appeared on his face.
"She was my home."
"My hope."
"My family."
Zhyragos looked directly at Raedon.
His eyes were beginning to water.
"When I was fourteen..."
He swallowed.
"She was old... and weak."
The room was completely silent.
"Because she was weak..."
His voice nearly broke.
"She was killed."
He clenched his fists.
"Killed by one of our own kind."
His breathing slowed.
"Right in front of my eyes."
The room felt heavy.
"I stood there."
His voice became quieter.
"Scared."
"Weak."
"Silent."
His eyes lowered.
"I should have died that day too."
No one understood anything.
Not Drakar.
Not Raedon.
Not even the members of Platinum Edge or Rising Heroes.
Nothing made sense anymore.
If Zhyragos had suffered because of the same person... Then why was he standing beside Solreth?
Then Zhyragos continued.
"Ysellia."
He pointed toward her.
"Veynaris."
Then toward him.
"Their loved ones were killed by one of our own kind too."
Everyone looked toward Eternal Wings.
Then Solreth spoke again.
"As I said earlier..."
He looked at the twins.
"Among Dragonkind and demons, twins are common."
The pieces slowly started coming together. One by one.
Then Solreth finished his sentence.
"It is true that I was in your village."
The room became still.
"And it is true that I told you to run."
He looked at Drakar.
"But I was not the one who killed your village."
He paused.
Nor anyone else's."
Then finally... "My brother did."
The room froze.
"Lucrotus."
At that moment, Drakar felt his entire world shatter.
For years he had chased revenge.
For years he had hated Solreth.
For years he believed Solreth had destroyed his life.
Yet now he learned something else entirely.
The person he hated...
Was the reason he and Raedon survived.
And the person who truly destroyed everything... Had simply shared the same face.
Drakar couldn't process it. Only one word escaped his mouth.
"Sorry."
Solreth looked at him.
Then sighed.
"Don't be."
His voice was calm.
"I deserve the same hatred that my brother does."
Drakar immediately shook his head.
"No..."
But Solreth interrupted him.
"I wasn't the one who killed anyone."
His eyes lowered.
"But I knew what my brother was."
His voice grew heavier.
"And I couldn't stop him."
The room remained silent.
"I couldn't tell him he was wrong."
His fists tightened.
"I was scared."
He looked away.
"And the truth is..."
His voice became quieter.
"I covered for his sins."
The words hit everyone hard.
"So no."
He shook his head.
"I'm not a saint. I share responsibility for what happened."
He paused.
"Even when he killed our own parents..."
The room froze again.
"I stayed silent."
His voice was full of regret.
"I thought he would change."
He laughed bitterly.
"I was naive. A life once lost will never come back."
His eyes hardened.
"He didn't deserve another chance."
A long silence followed.
"I wanted to kill him."
His voice shook slightly.
"But when the time came..."
He looked at his own hands.
"They trembled. So I ran."
His eyes closed.
"As far away as I could."
He opened them again.
"I don't know where he is now. Or whether he's alive or not. But I know one thing."
His voice became firm.
"I will find him. I feel he is still alive"
The room once again fell silent. Nobody knew what to say.
Then Solreth spoke again.
"Drakar."
"Raedon."
He smiled faintly.
"Would either of you like to join Eternal Wings after the tournament?"
His eyes moved across his teammates.
"We all share the same pain."
Silence followed.
Then Lila quietly moved next to Drakar.
She leaned closer and whispered.
"Don't worry about us."
She smiled softly.
"You can join them."
Her voice remained gentle.
"I think you'd fit in well."
Even though she smiled...
Everyone could see how much it hurt her to say those words.
Then Raedon spoke.
A little anger still remained in his voice.
"Sorry."
He shook his head.
"But I'm not leaving my team."
He looked toward Platinum Edge.
"I know we share the same pain. But that doesn't mean we need to walk the same path."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"They aren't just teammates. They're important to me."
His voice became firmer.
"And I'm not leaving them."
He then looked at Solreth.
"And yes." I want revenge too." Hopefully that day comes soon."
He paused.
"But I don't want revenge to blind me."
His eyes softened.
"I don't want to lose the people precious to me."
Solreth remained silent.
Then Drakar spoke.
"I feel the same way."
He looked toward the Rising Heroes.
"They're my family too."
He smiled.
"So... sorry. But I won't be joining."
For the first time, Solreth genuinely smiled.
"Fair enough."
He looked at Drakar.
"When I first saw you..."
His eyes became distant.
"You were scared. You were lost."
Then he nodded.
"I'm glad you found your place."
Finally, the tension in the room began to fade.
The conversation slowly became more relaxed.
Then Doran suddenly raised his hand.
"Uh..."
Everyone looked at him.
"I don't mean to be rude."
He pointed around the room.
"Drakar. Raedon. Solreth. Zhyragos. Ysellia. Veynaris."
Then he scratched his head.
"You all suffered because of Lucrotus, right?"
Then Doran pointed at Xelvaris.
"What about him?"
The room turned toward the silent Dragonkind.
Xelvaris answered immediately.
"You're correct."
His voice was calm.
"I do not share the same pain."
Everyone blinked. Then he continued.
"Lucrotus killed Dragonkind he considered weak."
His eyes narrowed.
"There is your answer."
That answer only confused everyone further.
Then Solreth explained.
"Xelvaris's family follows a tradition. They live quietly during the day. And rule the skies at night."
He smiled slightly.
"Lucrotus thought that made them cowards. But he was very wrong."
Solreth shook his head.
"He barely escaped alive."
The room grew interested.
"Lucrotus could destroy villages by himself. But that day he faced Xelvaris's father."
His eyes widened slightly at the memory.
"One-on-one. And Xelvaris's father didn't even consider the fight important."
Everyone stared in disbelief.
"I was the one who dragged Lucrotus away."
Then Xelvaris spoke.
"Yes. I do not share the same pain."
His voice remained cold.
"But I share the same race."
He looked around the room.
"And even beyond that..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Lucrotus is actually the one who has brought true shame to Dragonkind."
The room became quiet again.
"My father spared him."
His voice remained steady.
"He thought Lucrotus would realize his own weakness. And change."
Xelvaris shook his head.
"It seems he didn't."
His gaze became terrifying.
"So isn't it obvious?"
A chill ran through the room.
"I want him dead."
For a moment nobody spoke.
Even some of the others felt scared hearing those words.
Eventually, however, the atmosphere relaxed once more.
The heavy discussion slowly gave way to ordinary conversation.
And for the first time, the members of Eternal Wings, Rising Heroes, and Platinum Edge simply talked together.