"You're all such naïve little things," Aragon's voice echoed through the steel chamber, dripping with mockery. "It's honestly... amusing."
Jun didn't hesitate. "Shut the hell up!"
He lunged forward, but before his fist could even reach its mark, Aragon raised a single hand. Crimson light flared in his eyes—and in an instant, Jun was suspended midair, like a puppet on invisible strings.
"Foolish boy," Aragon sneered, then snapped his hand downward. Jun slammed into the far wall with a sickening crunch.
"Jun!" I shouted, my voice catching in my throat—but there was no time. The Lunaris guards poured into the room like a flood of steel and shadows.
Akito reacted first. "Get ready!" His voice was fire and fury as he swept his leg beneath one of the guards, knocking them flat before slamming his fist into another. Blood sprayed. Swords clanged.
Jun was back on his feet, blood trickling from his nose. "Alright, tough guy…" he muttered, pulling out his twin pistols. "You wanna play dirty? Let's play dirty."
The air filled with the roar of gunfire and the stench of blood. Jun moved like lightning, every shot deliberate—ruthless. Each bullet found its mark, mowing down enemies like blades of grass.
Then he aimed for Aragon.
"You wanna know the best part about my ability, Mr. Hunter?" Jun's eyes gleamed. "I never miss a damn shot—"
"Jun, wait—!"
BANG!
Aragon didn't flinch. He moved faster than anyone should've, and with a flick of his wrist, Jun went flying—straight off the upper balcony.
"No!" I screamed, but Haruto was already gone.
He appeared like a blur, vaulting off the railing, catching Jun mid-air. His agility—inhuman. He twisted his body, shielding Jun from the brunt of the fall.
They hit the ground hard.
"Haruto—!" Jun landed on his knees, his arms cradling the older boy's body. But something was off.
Haruto wasn't moving.
"Haruto…?" Jun whispered.
I felt the chains drop from my wrists. Kenji had freed me, but my body wouldn't move. My eyes locked on the sight below. Jun frozen. Haruto… still.
No. No, no, no!
I turned back toward Aragon—toward the man who had done all this. Flames burst to life across my arms. My rage boiled. My soul burned.
"What did you do to my brother!" I roared, hurling a wave of fire.
Aragon staggered, coughing as the flames scorched his chest. "You're stronger than before," he admitted, wiping blood from his lips. "I'll give you that."
He charged. His fist slammed into my gut. I gasped, the air stolen from my lungs.
But I fought back.
"How can you hate our kind while using our magic yourself!" I hissed, slamming my fist into his jaw, fire licking his skin.
"You don't understand anything!" Aragon spat, lashing out with a kick. "You freaks are monsters! A blight on humankind!"
Our fists met again, raw, burning fury between us.
Meanwhile, down below—
"Jun… it's okay," Haruto whispered, eyes fluttering. His voice was faint, fragile. "You'll all… be okay…"
"No! Don't talk like that!" Jun begged, clutching his shoulders. "You saved me… but the bullet—"
Haruto pressed something into Jun's hand—a key, glinting under the lights.
"Take this… give it to Rander…"
His hand fell limp.
"No… Haruto...!" Jun's scream tore through the silence.
The fight didn't stop.
"YOU BASTARD!" I shouted up at Aragon, my voice cracked and bloody. "You brainwashed Evander! He goes by Zane now! He's not your puppet—he's my brother!"
"Is he?" Aragon smirked, stepping closer. "Look at him now. Look what he's become."
From below, Akito was still fending off guards, rage etched into every blow—until one caught him by surprise. A fist crashed into his jaw. He retaliated, smashing the guard into the ground, then flinging another over the railing.
He turned and froze.
Jun knelt beside Haruto's lifeless body.
"What the hell do we even tell Rander…" Akito whispered.
It didn't stop.
Kenji landed a blow that sent Aragon sprawling, but the man floated back up with unnatural grace—hovering in the air before crashing the two of us into the floor with a flick of his fingers. Pain surged through my body. Blood filled my mouth. But I stood. We all did.
"You never learn, do you?" Aragon hissed.
Then he said it—
"Now, now. There's no need for violence. Your father never liked that, did he?"
I froze.
"What…?" I whispered.
"It's said your parents were killed by the smoke of your flames. Isn't that right?"
"No…" I clenched my fists. "Shut up."
"There were three of you," he continued. "You. Evander. And the adopted one. The third child they could never have."
My knees buckled.
"How do you—how do you know that!?"
Akito caught me, his voice trembling. "Ren, don't—"
"The third boy…" Aragon's voice was cruel. "He went missing in that fire. A fire you started. That same fire that killed your parents."
"No…" I whispered. My vision blurred. "No…!"
The others were staring. Not in anger. Not in disgust.
In sympathy.
Pity.
I snapped.
"SHUT UP!" I grabbed Aragon by the collar, flames roaring to life around my palm, pressed just inches from his face. My tears hissed against the heat. "Shut up!!"
Aragon only smiled.
"Careful now, Ren…" he whispered. "Or you'll end up killing your dear brother… for the second time."
The world stopped.
And everything—
Went silent.