"Who the hell are you?" Zane's voice cut through the stale air, sharp and cold. His piercing glare bore down on the blonde-haired boy chained before him.
The boy met his stare with unflinching defiance.
"Ace."
The name fell from his lips like venom.
Zane sneered, stepping forward, his presence like a looming shadow. "I don't think you realise your position here."
"You people are all the same..." Ace shot back, his voice low, but the disgust in it was unmistakable.
Zane crouched, his smirk widening as a sinister glint of purple shimmered in his eyes — not just anger, but something far darker. Something monstrous.
"I'm not surprised it was a fallen human behind the kidnapping of one of our soldiers," he said. "You're all the same piece of scum."
Ace's jaw tightened. He'd faced killers. Monsters. But there was something about Zane... something twisted, something broken.
And yet, he chuckled.
"So you're the crazy brother of Ren, huh?"
Zane's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed.
"What is it with your family anyway? You're all insane. Why don't you even share the same last name?"
Zane slapped him. Hard.
"That's none of your concern."
Ace groaned, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. "Alright, tough guy... what do you want?"
Zane's fists clenched.
"Speak of my brother again and I will kill you."
His voice dropped, but the rage in it was deafening.
"That cursed fire mutation of his... it's the reason our parents are dead."
Ace's smirk faltered. "You seriously think Ren killed his own family?"
Zane didn't respond. Instead, he sent a right hook crashing into Ace's jaw. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he stumbled, groaning.
"I remember that night," Zane hissed. "There was fire everywhere. Screams. My eldest brother Arthur disappeared in the blaze. They said his body turned to ash."
Ace paused, watching him closely now. There was pain buried under Zane's fury — grief twisted into hate.
"Then how did you and Ren survive?"
Zane's eyes flickered. He looked... conflicted.
"It's all a blur," he admitted. "But I remember Ren... he looked back before jumping out the window. Our eyes met. I was trapped. Then... everything went black. When I woke up, I was in Aragon Hunter's care."
A moment of silence. Then—
CRACK.
Zane hurled a stone at the concrete wall with inhuman strength. It exploded on impact, leaving a deep hole in the wall.
Ace's voice was softer this time. "You're one of us. So why are you working for them?"
Zane turned, fury twisting his face. "I'M NOTHING LIKE YOU!"
He grabbed Ace by the collar, lifting him effortlessly off the ground and slamming him against the wall.
"I'm loyal to Lunaris... because this power is a curse! You think I want to be like this?!"
Ace coughed but steadied himself. "It's a gift... not a curse."
Zane laughed. Cold. Empty. Broken.
"You think this is a story where we all hold hands and change hearts?" he spat. "People don't change. Not really."
He let Ace fall. Chains clattered to the ground.
"You'll die in this cell, just like every other fool who tried to defy Lunaris."
With that, he turned and left, slamming the heavy metal door behind him. Ace sat in the shadows, blood on his lips, his thoughts burning just as fiercely as the pain in his chest.
Meanwhile…
BANG BANG.
A knock echoed through the meeting hall of the Fallen Liberators. The room fell silent. Tension bristled as Elara leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyes sharp.
The door creaked open — and there she stood.
Long crimson hair. Emerald eyes. An air of command.
Fae.
"Fae? What are you doing here?" Kenji asked, cigarette dangling from his lips. Chester stood behind him, eyes filled with suspicion.
"I came to deliver news," Fae said. "About one of your members — Jun Takara. He's still in custody for Haruto Whitlock's murder. And frankly, we all know that's bullshit."
My fists clenched.
"Elaborate," I said.
She took a breath. "We suspect Quinn Rome is involved. But until he's proven guilty, Jun stays behind bars."
Elara laughed bitterly. "Took you long enough."
Fae's gaze sharpened. "Care to explain?"
"I worked for him. I know what he's capable of." Elara flipped her blonde hair behind her shoulder with a smirk.
"Then tell me," Fae challenged, "what are you planning to do? I've seen no progress against Lunaris in a month."
Chester scoffed. "We're stretched thin. Ace is probably being tortured by the Rebellion, and now Jun's been framed. What do you expect?"
But then Chester turned to me, eyes narrowing.
"Well?" he asked. "Any bright ideas, leader?"
I exhaled slowly.
"If I know my brother Zane, he's tormenting Ace right now. Trying to force his twisted beliefs on him."
Akito looked up from the table, hesitant. "Not to bring up bad memories, but... can you really fight your own brothers?"
My chest tightened. I felt the weight of their names, the shadows of our past.
But I stood tall.
"Brother or not... I'll stop them both."
I looked to the others — my allies. My family now.
"For the future. For what the Lumar Kingdom used to be."
Fae stepped forward. "There's a planned attack on Lunaris at sunset. The front lines will be focused elsewhere. If you're going to rescue Ace... that's your chance."
Everyone shared the same look. A glint of rebellion in our eyes. A fire igniting.
"Will you fight with us?" I asked her.
Fae nodded. "I'll be beside Rander, facing their elites."
I turned to my team, voice resolute.
"Kenji. Chester. You're in charge of getting Ace out. Akito — you're with me."
Akito blinked. "Where to?"
I smirked, lifting my palm. Flames burst to life, wrapping around my fingers, casting a warm red glow across the room.
"To the battlefield," I said. "It's time we burn their lie of unity to the ground."