The morning sun cast its golden hue over the 

hilltop as the group from Dragon Village

 prepared to descend toward the kingdom gates

 of Aetherion. It had been a long journey through

 the jungle and forest, but finally, the towering 

walls of the kingdom stood before them—

guarded, grand, and gleaming in the daylight.

Soldiers patrolled the entrance, stopping each 

carriage and traveler for inspection. The 

atmosphere was tense, even with the festival in

 full bloom on the other side of the walls. As

 Rael steered their carriage toward the gate, a 

soldier raised a hand to halt them.

“Halt! Identify yourselves and state your

 purpose,” the guard barked.

Rael calmly stood up, pulling back his cloak to

 reveal the official badge of an Aetherion soldier. 

“Rael of Aetherion Kingdom. I am escorting 

these warriors from Dragon Village to compete

 in the Great Battle Arena, as per the king’s open

 invitation.”

The soldier scrutinized the badge, then nodded. 

“Very well. Proceed.”

As the gate creaked open, the team was struck

 by the sudden wave of color and sound that

 greeted them. Aetherion was transformed.

Lanterns floated above rooftops, ribbons 

danced on the breeze, and every street was

 alive with laughter. Music played from corners,

 children chased each other with festival masks, 

and food stalls lined the roads, sizzling and 

steaming with delicacies from across the 

kingdom.

The Five-Day Festival had already begun.

“Whoa...” Lior whispered in awe, eyes wide as

 they passed street performers, jugglers, and 

acrobats. “It’s like a dream.”

Their carriage came to a stop in front of a 

modest but clean guesthouse near the heart of 

the kingdom. This would be their home until the

 tournament was over. 

The group entered, each heading to their room. 

But one stayed behind.

Raikuro.

He stood by the window, silent and still, staring

 at the bustling festival outside. His face held no

 joy, only distant thought.

Later that evening, Rael invited them out for 

dinner in the city. “It’s my treat tonight,” he

 smiled. “Welcome to Aetherion.”

The city glowed under the night sky. Strings of

 lanterns lit every street, and laughter echoed as 

people danced, played music, and told stories

 around small bonfires. The restaurant they 

entered was grand, filled with aromas none of 

them had experienced before. The table was 

filled with dishes—glazed meats, shining fruits, 

and colorful desserts.

Kaeli blinked in surprise. “I’ve never seen so

 much food.”

Even Garrin was speechless as he took a bite. 

“It’s… amazing.”

Raikuro ate quietly, his thoughts far away.

That night, everyone slept soundly—except him.

---

By morning, the streets were even livelier. Rael 

and Master Tenzin gathered the group in the

 courtyard.

“You’re free to explore today,” Tenzin said. 

“Enjoy the festival. But one rule—don’t use your 

magic or reveal your abilities. We don’t want to 

attract attention before the tournament begins.”

“Got it,” Garrin said, already excited to roam.

“Understood,” Kaeli nodded.

“I’ll be careful,” Lior added.

Raikuro simply nodded in silence.

As Tenzin and Rael left for the castle, Garrin 

clapped his hands. “Let’s go see everything!”

Kaeli rolled her eyes. “You’re just looking for food 

stalls.”

“You’re not wrong.”

They turned to Raikuro.

He shook his head. “I… have something I need to do.”

The others didn’t press him. They separated—

three heading into the heart of the celebration,

 and one walking back into the shadows of his

 past.

---

Raikuro wandered the old paths of his 

 childhood village—now part of the Aetherion 

capital’s outskirts. The streets had changed. 

New buildings stood where old ones had 

crumbled. The familiar smells were gone. But

 he remembered.

He found the narrow path that led to his old 

home. It stood silent, covered in vines and

 brush. Time had nearly erased it.

He stepped through the creaking doorway.

Dust coated everything. Broken chairs. A rusted 

sword rack. And the bed—where his parents had 

breathed their last.

He moved silently to the back garden, where

 two small gravestones rested under a crooked

 tree.

Raikuro knelt.

He placed wildflowers at the graves.

“Mom... Dad... I’m home,” he whispered, his 

voice barely holding back the tremble.

He prayed silently, then returned inside and 

began cleaning—pushing back memories and

 dust with every motion.

But the past wasn’t the only thing watching him.

---

Footsteps echoed outside. Moments later, a 

voice rang out sharply.

“You there! Who are you? Why are you in this 

house?”

Raikuro turned slowly.

A young man in royal attire stood outside,

 flanked by several soldiers.

The Second Prince of Aetherion.

“I asked you a question,” the prince repeated. 

“This house was abandoned long ago. A cursed

 family used to lived here. Their illness nearly spread to 

our entire kingdom. they died before, before we could kill.”

Raikuro froze.

The prince sneered. “but we heard their son is still 

alive.can it be you?”

Something inside Raikuro snapped.

He grabbed his sword and lunged.

---

Elsewhere in the city...

Kaeli, Garrin, and Lior arrived at a plaza where a

 girl performed beautiful fire magic. A soldier 

nearby called out, “Anyone brave enough to

 block three of her fire attacks wins two hundred 

gold coins!”

Garrin grinned. “Say no more.”

He stepped up and cast his spell.

“Earth Magic: Barrier Wall!”

The first firebolt hit and was blocked.

The second cracked the stone, but held.

The third was enormous—a fire dragon that 

shattered the wall into rubble.

Garrin coughed in smoke, laughing. “Alright! 

That was awesome.”

The girl smiled. “Two out of three. You win.”

A box of coins was placed in his hand.

He opened it.he was shocked to see lots

of gold coins.

He turned to Kaeli and Lior. “Drinks are on me!”

But then—

BOOM!

A flash of lightning and fire split the sky.

Everyone looked.

Lior gasped. “That’s... Raikuro!”

Kaeli "don't tell me,he is doing stupid things."

Garrin "let's go."

They ran.

The girl and several soldiers followed.

---

Back at the old house, soldiers lay unconscious

 across the yard. The prince struggled to his 

feet, blood trickling from his lip. Raikuro’s body 

was crackling with lightning, his eyes glowing 

white.

He was no longer calm. No longer holding back.

He was wrath itself.

The prince cast a fireball—but Raikuro vanished

 in a blink, appearing beside him with a 

devastating punch that sent him crashing into

 the wall.

He fell—unmoving.

Raikuro advanced again, lightning gathering in 

his fists.

Kaeli and Garrin leapt in front.

“Raikuro, STOP!”

But He didn’t hear them.

Kaeli cast.

“Ice Magic: Arctic Shackles!”

Garrin followed.

“Earth Magic: Titan’s Grasp!”

They trapped him in a dual barrier—but the 

power building inside him was no longer

 human.

The sky darkened.

Clouds spiraled above.

A beam of lightning shot from Raikuro into 

the sky.

Everyone looked up.

A roar echoed through the air.

A colossal silhouette formed in the storm—

lightning tail, glowing eyes, wings of thunder.

A dragon.

Then—

Silence.

Raikuro collapsed.

The clouds vanished. The storm receded.

Kaeli ran to him, cradling his head. “Raikuro!”

Lior placed her hands over his chest. “Healing

 Light: Renew!”

Slowly, his breathing steadied.

And from a distance, in the shadow of the trees, 

Master Tenzin watched in silence.

He looked up at the sky.

“So that’s the.... Legendary Lightning Dragon ."