(Zephirion's POV)

I never forgot that day.

I never could.

Even as I stood before my uncle now, watching the blood drip from his wound, the memories of the past burned in my mind.

Keiran, my uncle.

Keiran, the man who stole everything from me.

Keiran, the monster who had once sat upon my father's throne, laughing amidst the corpses.

I had been eleven when it happened.

A boy who knew nothing of cruelty, nothing of the real horrors of the world.

A boy who had spent his days learning swordsmanship, reading ancient texts, training under the finest knights. A boy who had never once imagined that his own flesh and blood would betray him.

But Keiran had.

And I had been too weak to stop him.

---

The Market: A Memory of Gold and Fire

That day had started like any other.

I had been out in the marketplace, wandering through the streets disguised as a commoner, enjoying the liveliness of the town.

Then I felt it.

A light tug against my coat.

My hand shot out, gripping a small wrist.

And there she was-

A young girl with silk-like black hair, golden eyes burning with defiance.

She glared up at me, struggling to pull her hand free. "Let go, you idiot!"

I stared at her, momentarily taken aback. "You were pickpocketing me."

She huffed. "Yeah? And?"

I frowned. "It's wrong."

She rolled her eyes. "Says the spoiled brat who probably sleeps on pillows made of gold."

I opened my mouth to argue, but then-

I stopped.

Not because of her words.

But because of the smoke.

Thick, black smoke rising over the rooftops in the distance.

Over the castle.

My castle.

My breath caught.

Something was wrong.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and ran.

But before I could get far-

She ran after me.

"Oi! I don't need your stupid gold, you cocky bastard!" she shouted, tossing the bag of gold coins I had given her. "Take it back!"

I ignored her.

I ran faster.

Faster.

Faster-

Until I saw it.

Until I reached the castle gates and felt my entire world shatter.

---

The Throne of Death

The bodies.

They were everywhere.

My father.

My mother.

The knights.

Even my nanny, Rose.

Lying there, lifeless. Cold.

And at the center of it all-

Keiran.

Sitting on my father's throne, legs crossed, laughing.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't breathe.

I just stood there, staring at the blood, the fire, the destruction.

Then-

A small hand grabbed my wrist.

I turned.

It was her.

The pickpocket girl.

Her golden eyes were wide with horror, flickering between me and the corpses.

She shook me. "Say something!"

I said nothing.

I just kept staring.

Because it didn't feel real.

Until-

Until Keiran finally noticed me.

He chuckled. "Oh? You made it back, nephew."

I felt my fingers tremble.

His eyes glowed.

He moved.

A blur of darkness, a blade of power-aimed directly at me.

I didn't react.

I couldn't.

But she did.

She jumped in front of me.

And took the blow.

I heard the sound of the blade sinking into flesh.

Saw the way her small frame jerked forward.

Watched the blood drip from her lips.

She turned her head slightly-just enough to look at me.

And she smiled.

"Run."

I couldn't.

I didn't.

I just watched.

As time slowed-

As everything shattered-

As the flames inside me erupted.

I don't remember what happened next.

Only that the entire castle shook.

That Keiran's laughter turned into screams.

That I unleashed every ounce of my power, burning through the throne room, forcing Keiran to his knees.

And then-

I cut off his horn.

His one source of power.

And for the first time-

I saw fear in his eyes.

The same fear I see now.

---

Present: The Fall of a Tyrant

Keiran staggered, clutching his wound.

His golden eyes burned with fury, but beneath it-I saw it.

Fear.

I took a slow step forward.

"You lost the moment you tried to take what's mine," I said, voice deadly calm.

Keiran's breath hitched.

"It's over, Uncle Keiran."

His eyes widened as he finally understood.

That this time-

There was no escape.

That this time-

There would be no mercy.

I raised my sword.

Keiran opened his mouth to speak.

But before he could-

I swung.

The blade sliced clean through his neck.

His head fell to the ground with a dull thud.

His body crumpled after it.

And just like that-

Keiran, the traitor, the murderer, the monster who had haunted my past-

Was no more