—No…
This… isn't possible.
Elijah is the strongest, right?
He'll get up.
We just have to wait.
I kept repeating it over and over, as if those words could change something.
As if saying it would make it true.
But they didn't.
They didn't change anything.
Some attendants ran onto the field. They knelt beside him, moving him carefully, checking something.
The entire amphitheater was murmuring.
Confusion.
Fear.
No one understood anything.
But I heard it.
Too clearly.
—He's dead.
—What do you mean dead?
—His heart isn't beating.
The world stopped.
Or maybe it was me.
I don't know.
Everything and nothing was running through my head at the same time.
It was… impossible.
Simply impossible.
As if reality had shattered right in front of me.
Without realizing it, a tear fell down my cheek.
Just one.
The attendants stood up and approached the announcer. They whispered something in his ear.
His face changed.
He went pale.
Shaken.
Like everyone.
Like everyone… except one.
Aether.
He didn't move.
He didn't react.
No surprise.
No doubt.
Nothing.
As if it had nothing to do with him.
As if he already knew.
—Ladies and gentlemen… —the announcer began, his voice trembling—. It seems that Elijah Draven… has passed away…
A murmur spread across the amphitheater.
—We don't know the cause… but his heart… has stopped…
He paused.
As if he didn't believe what he was saying himself.
—Therefore… the winner of the tournament is… Aether.
Then I saw it.
He smiled.
Slightly.
But he smiled.
And something inside me… finally broke.
No.
It couldn't be.
Not like this.
My legs started moving before I could think.
I ran.
I pushed people aside.
I rushed down the stands without looking.
There was only one thought in my head:
They can't take him.
Not like this.
Not now.
Not him.
The attendants were already lifting his body.
—NO! —I shouted, my voice breaking—. Wait!
He couldn't have lost.
Elijah doesn't lose.
He never loses.
And now…?
Now the winner was Aether?
That…
That was impossible.
I reached him.
I dropped to my knees and lifted him into my arms, as if I could still do something.
As if there was still time.
I held his face with one hand, carefully.
—Elijah… —my voice trembled—. You have to wake up.
Nothing.
—You haven't achieved your dream yet, remember? —I swallowed—. You were going to become a court mage…
Silence.
—And besides… —my voice cracked— you said you'd cook today.
Nothing.
Again nothing.
Then I looked at his eyes.
Gray.
Empty.
There was nothing left in them.
No spark.
No life.
And that's when I understood.
I wasn't holding my brother.
Just… what was left of him.
A shell.
Elijah… was gone.
Something inside me shattered completely.
And then I saw him.
Him.
Standing there.
Watching.
—Aether… —I whispered.
My body tensed.
—AETHER!!
I ran toward him without thinking.
There was nothing else.
Only him.
Only that.
I had to kill him.
I had to.
Someone grabbed me before I could reach him.
Two attendants.
They held my arms tightly.
—Let me go! —I struggled—. LET ME GO!
I tried to break free, but I couldn't.
They were stronger.
—I'm going to kill him! —I kept repeating—. I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!
But him…
He didn't move.
He just watched me.
For the first time, I saw him clearly.
Sharp face.
Empty expression.
And those eyes…
Those eyes…
They reminded me of my brother's.
But reversed.
Not dead because they had gone out.
Dead… while still alive.
I kept struggling.
Without thinking.
Without stopping.
Until—
A blunt hit.
Darkness.
There was nothing.
Silence.
Black.
I didn't think.
I didn't feel.
I just… was.
And slowly, without realizing it…
The memories returned.
Elijah waiting for me at home.
Training together.
His laughter.
The sound of knives in the kitchen.
His voice.
Everything.
As if he were still there.
As if nothing had happened.
As if everything were still the same.
Time stopped existing.
I don't know how long I stayed like that.
It could have been seconds.
Or years.
Until something changed.
A light.
Faint at first.
Then stronger.
Annoying.
Insistent.
As if it were pulling me.
As if forcing me back.
It was hard.
But in the end…
I opened my eyes.
The ceiling.
Marble.
White.
Cold.
It wasn't my room.
I slowly turned my head.
A bed.
Soft.
Too comfortable.
…What?
Had it all been… a dream?
Everything?
Even… him?
My breathing quickened.
No.
It couldn't be.
I slowly sat up.
I looked around.
The room was large.
Elegant.
Too much.
The light that had woken me streamed through velvet curtains.
Nothing made sense.
And then I knew.
It hadn't been a dream.
My chest suddenly ached.
As if everything that had happened had finally found a place to enter.
To become real.
To hurt.
I barely had time to process it.
The door opened softly.
A maid entered carrying a tray.
She was young, though maybe not much younger than me. She wore a black-and-white uniform, but looser than I expected. More comfortable. More… human.
She didn't say anything.
She moved with precision, almost mechanically.
She placed the tray on the bed.
Bread. Eggs. A glass of water.
Even the cutlery shone perfectly, matching the rest of the room.
I swallowed.
—E… excuse me… —I said, my voice still rough—. Where am I?
—In Luminalia Castle.
My body tensed.
—Where the king lives?
—Exactly.
She paused slightly, observing me.
—How do you feel?
I hadn't even thought about it.
But the moment I did…
Hunger.
A ravenous hunger.
—I guess… I'm hungry.
—Then you should eat.
I didn't say anything else.
I grabbed the bread and took a bite.
It was… incredible.
Probably the best I had ever tasted.
The maid watched me with some curiosity.
As if trying to understand me.
Though she probably had no more answers than I did.
—You've been asleep.
—For how long?
—The tournament was two days ago.
I froze.
Two days.
I had been gone… for two days.
But the moment I thought about the tournament…
About him…
Everything came back.
All at once.
It must have shown on my face.
—Your name is Ren, right? —she said softly—. I'm Aria. Nice to meet you.
She gave a slight bow.
I kept eating, almost without thinking.
—You don't have to be so formal with me —I muttered—. You can talk to me normally.
She seemed to hesitate.
—All right… I'll do that.
She lowered her gaze slightly.
—I'm sorry about your brother.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
The words… just wouldn't come.
And I didn't want to force them either.
So I thought about something else.
Something more urgent.
—Aria… how did I get here?
—That's a good question —she replied, as if she appreciated it—. When you tried to attack Aether, the attendants knocked you out to stop you.
I nodded slightly.
I remembered.
—After that, they were going to leave you in a room in the amphitheater until you woke up… but…
I looked up.
—But?
—The king gave a different order.
I felt a small chill.
—He asked for you to be brought to the palace.
I frowned.
—Why would he want me here?
—The king wants to see you.
—Why would the king want to see me?
Aria shook her head gently.
—I don't know for sure.
She paused.
—But I do know one thing.
I looked at her.
—It has to do with Aether.
That name…
Fell like an anvil on my chest.