House No. 102 felt… heavy.

Not silent—

But suffocating.

The kind of silence that presses against your chest… making every breath harder.

—

Vihaan sat on a wooden chair.

Head lowered.

Hands trembling slightly.

Quiet sobs escaped him—soft, broken, uncontrollable.

—

Across the room—

Liorin sat on the edge of the bed.

Tears streamed down her face silently.

She didn’t wipe them.

Didn’t move.

—

Eryx paced restlessly.

Back and forth.

Again.

And again.

His fists clenched. His breathing uneven.

—

“…It’s all our fault.”

Vihaan’s voice broke the silence.

Barely a whisper.

“We shouldn’t have taken his name…”

—

Eryx stopped.

“What fault?!”

He turned sharply, anger flashing in his eyes.

“Commander Smith fooled us!”

His fists tightened.

“And we got caught because of it!”

He stepped forward—

“If not, you should at least think about it—”

—

BANG!

His fist slammed into the wall.

Dust fell.

Silence followed.

—

Liorin’s voice came softly.

“He told us…”

A pause.

“…that if we get caught… and take his name…”

Her fingers tightened.

“…they will let us go.”

—

Everything stilled.

—

“It was never about the plan,” she continued.

“…It was about saving us.”

—

Vihaan’s breathing grew heavier.

“…He knew…”

“He knew this would happen…”

—

The truth settled.

Cold.

Unavoidable.

—

Then something shifted.

—

Vihaan lifted his head.

Eyes red—

But no longer weak.

“I have never seen my parents…”

His voice steadied.

“My grandfather died… and I couldn’t save him.”

A pause.

“Then Kael helped me…”

His hands clenched.

“…and he betrayed us.”

Another breath.

“And now… Commander Smith…”

His voice hardened.

“No.”

He stood up.

“We can’t let him die.”

—

Eryx looked at him.

Silent.

Then—

“You’re lucky, Vihaan.”

His voice was raw.

“Because you never saw your parents die.”

A pause.

“I did.”

His fists tightened.

“I grew up like a slave… no hope… nothing.”

Then—

“A hand reached out.”

“Kael.”

Silence.

“And I betrayed him.”

His jaw tightened.

“Now… Smith is the only man who brought us out of that darkness.”

“The only one who trained us…”

His voice rose slightly.

“And I won’t betray him too.”

A pause.

“If everything leads back to Kael…”

His eyes sharpened.

“…then I’m ready to end him too.”

—

Liorin stood.

Her tears had stopped.

“You’re both right…”

A step forward.

“But also wrong.”

—

“The real enemy…”

Her voice turned cold.

“…is the disunity of Elyndor.”

Silence.

“If this land wasn’t broken…”

“…none of this would have happened.”

—

Her gaze met theirs.

“If we want to stop other children from becoming like us…”

“…then Elyndor must be united.”

A pause.

“And the one who can make that possible…”

“…is Smith.”

—

Eryx nodded slowly.

“You’re right.”

He turned to Vihaan.

“And if you don’t have a plan…”

A faint grin.

“…my sword is ready to break open a prison.”

—

Vihaan stepped forward.

Calm.

Focused.

“No.”

“I have a plan.”

A pause.

“Until now… we were just pieces.”

—

His eyes sharpened.

“But not anymore.”

—

“It’s not time to be an audience.”

—

“It’s time to become players.”

—

A final breath.

“…A leader.”

—

Outside—

The wind rose.

And the game began to change.

---

The prison was cold.

Torchlight flickered against stone walls.

In the corner—

Commander Smith sat.

Head lowered.

Chains resting loosely around his wrists.

—

Footsteps echoed.

Slow.

Measured.

—

Smith lifted his gaze.

—

A shadow stretched first—

Then stepped into the light.

—

A man.

Cigarette glowing red between his fingers.

Smoke curling upward.

A wide-brimmed hat.

A long overcoat.

Dark glasses hiding his eyes.

—

Kael.

—

“You haven’t changed…”

Smith said calmly.

“…not your appearance… and not your mind.”

—

Kael stepped closer.

“Neither have you… my friend.”

—

Silence.

Heavy.

Familiar.

—

“You always tried to put me behind these bars.”

Kael smirked.

—

Smith glanced at the iron rods.

“My bad…”

“…this time I’m behind them.”

—

Kael chuckled softly.

“Your habit of accepting truth…”

“…always disappoints me.”

—

Smith smiled faintly.

“And your habit of bending it…”

“…never surprises me.”

—

Both smiled.

Not kindly—

But knowingly.

—

Kael offered a cigarette.

Smith took it.

—

For a moment—

It wasn’t a prison.

Just two men.

Like old times.

—

Then—

Smith asked quietly,

“Why are you here, Kael?”

—

Kael took a drag.

“What do you think… whom should a farmer respect the most?”

—

“His crop,” Smith replied.

—

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

“It’s hunger.”

—

“Because hunger…”

“…gives the crop its value.”

A pause.

“Without the bad… the good has no meaning.”

—

Smith’s eyes hardened.

“What are you trying to say?”

—

“I respect strong enemies.”

Kael’s voice softened.

“They give me meaning.”

—

A pause.

“And I’m here…”

“…to meet you one last time.”

—

Smith replied calmly,

“Hunger also destroys crops.”

—

Kael smiled.

“And who will destroy me?”

“Valen… lost in grief.”

“Team 111… alive because of my mercy.”

“And you…”

“…behind bars.”

—

Smith stepped forward.

Chains clinked.

“You can imprison me…”

“You can kill me…”

“But you cannot bury an ideology.”

—

Silence.

—

Kael’s voice lowered.

“When I was a child…”

“One name was feared everywhere.”

A pause.

“Smith.”

—

Smith’s expression softened slightly.

“That time… the king was mine.”

“And the queen…”

“…was time.”

—

A breath.

“Now… it belongs to you.”

—

Kael stepped closer.

“There is still time.”

“Stand with me…”

“And we will rule Elyndor.”

—

“I can’t.”

Smith replied instantly.

“I want to rule Elyndor…”

“…as its king.”

“And you…”

“…as the king of Aeralith.”

—

“I don’t want a throne.”

Kael said quietly.

“I just want Aeralith to rise again.”

—

“By suppressing others?”

—

“It doesn’t matter.”

A pause.

“You chose the wrong paths smith....”

“…your death is inevitable.”

—

“I don’t fear death.”

Smith replied.

—

Kael turned away.

“Neither…”

“…do I want to make you fear it.”

—

His footsteps faded.

—

Silence returned.

—

Smith looked down.

The cigarette still burned.

—

He took one last drag.

Slow.

Steady.

—

Then flicked it away.

—

The ember died on the stone floor.

—

And the silence remained

One man waits for death…

Three prepare to defy it…

And somewhere in the shadows—

Kael is still watching.