The country of Virelon lay deep in the western continent, a coastal kingdom known for its red-sunned beaches, thriving markets, and dragon-blooded heritage. Rin and Arkan traveled alone, avoiding detection through a mix of cloaking techniques and natural suppression. Their destination: Solmere Island, a vacation city far removed from Virelon's capital, boasting a population of nearly 1.9 million. What most tourists didn't know was that nestled behind its luxurious facade sat one of the West's major military bases.
To Rin, that made it the perfect place to start a war.
Near the base, in a quiet neighborhood tucked into Solmere's eastern wing, a boy sat in his room surrounded by faded training manuals. His name really didn't matter , 14 years old, with faint red scales beneath his eyes,a subtle mark of his draconic lineage. After hours of meditation, his body tensed and then relaxed. A warm sensation flooded through him. He had broken through.
From 4% to 5%.
A grin stretched across his face. He leapt to his feet and dashed to the living room, calling for his mother.
But she wasn't smiling.
She sat on the floor, clutching an old photograph. Her hands trembled. Tears welled silently in her eyes.
The picture showed four people,herself, her younger son, an older boy in his twenties, and a strong-jawed man with a warm expression. Her husband. Her firstborn.
His joy withered.
"Mom?"
She quickly wiped her eyes, tried to smile, but it broke halfway.
"I did it," he said quietly. "Five percent."
Her eyes shimmered, but she said nothing.
He clenched his fists. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll get stronger. I'll avenge Dad. You won't ever have to cry again."
Her voice cracked. "No. Don't say that. Don't ever think of revenge. Your father walked that path, and it led to his death. That path… it only ends one way."
He shook his head. "There's no one we can't hurt. No one who can't be stopped."
She grabbed his shoulders. "You don't understand. There are people in this world… monsters in the shape of men. You think power is something we all reach? Some of them are born 100 times stronger than people in their forties. You don't fight them. You survive them."
Before he could answer, the alarms began.
A low, blaring tone rolled over the city. A sound few had heard in years,the Emergency Bell. The last time it had rung, Valen attacked.
His mother froze. Her voice turned to panic. "Your brother… he's stationed at the base."
"No," she whispered. "No, no…"
He moved toward the door. "I'm going. I have to...."
She blocked him, desperate. "No! You'll die out there. Please. I'll go. I'll bring him back. Just stay safe. Please."
He started to object.
Then the air split.
A crushing weight dropped from the sky. The house exploded inwards.
His mother didn't scream. She didn't even move. The pressure slammed her into the floor,bones and blood and shattered flesh.
For one silent second, he just stared.
Then he screamed. A long, desperate scream that shook the walls still standing.
High above Solmere, Rin and Arkan stood on a leveled rooftop overlooking the city's northern wing.
Rin frowned. "I thought this was just a military base. Pull back your aura. There are civilians."
Arkan didn't look at him. "Why should we care?"
"If there's no reason to kill, why bother?" Rin's tone was calm but edged. "We're here for the soldiers, not children."
Arkan shrugged. "Understood. Might've already crushed a few thousand."
"Tch," Rin muttered. "Mistakes happen in war. Just don't repeat them."
Beneath them, the base lit up. Soldiers rushed to posts. Anti-air guns rotated. And at the center, command towers flared with emergency lights.
"Time to get their attention," Rin said.
He leapt down, his wings unfurling. A shockwave cracked the street below as he landed. Within seconds, he carved a path toward the military heart of the island.
Arkan followed. Flames lit the sky as the first wave of defensive spells met Rin's advance.
A wall of molten energy surged toward them. Rin raised his hand. Black flames burst outward, cutting the attack apart with invincible force.
Soldiers screamed. Not from pain, but fear. Some dropped their weapons on sight.
Rin didn't stop. He moved like a blade through water.
A squadron of red-armored elites tried to flank him. Arkan dropped in their midst and turned the earth beneath them to ash.
Above them, smoke billowed. Solmere's sky turned black.
From the distance, a single message lit up across the city's internal broadcast:
"The Solas have returned. The West bleeds today."
Rin moved toward the command tower. His voice was calm.
"Ten thousand dead. And leave their heads lit on spikes. Let them know this is only the beginning."