The silence that filled the palace after Ghazil's disappearance was a heavy one, laden with pain, fear, and sorrow. It was not the silence of peace, but the silence of shock—a silence of a family trying to comprehend how a joyful night could turn into a devastating nightmare in just a few hours.
Victor sat on the floor, his back against the wall, attempting to stop the bleeding from his deep wound. His face was pale, but his eyes still held the same determination and strength Isabella had known for ten years. He looked at his family—his wife holding their silent daughter, his son still unconscious from exhaustion—and tried to think of a way to protect them.
Isabella sat on the floor as well, clutching Luna tightly, running her hand gently through her golden hair. Luna was awake, but she no longer cried. Instead, she looked at her parents with wide eyes full of fear and confusion. She opened her mouth at times, trying to say something, but no sound came out. Each time this happened, her eyes filled with tears once more.
"Luna, my darling," Isabella whispered in a broken voice, "It's okay. Mama's here. Everything will be all right."
But even as she spoke those words, she knew they were a lie. Nothing would ever be all right again. Her daughter had lost her voice forever, their palace was in ruins, and their enemies would not stop here. Malakar might have escaped, but he would return. And next time, there would be no Ghazil to save them.
Arius began to regain consciousness slowly. He opened his eyes gradually, and the first thing he saw was his father's pale face. For a moment, he looked confused, as if he could not remember what had happened. Then the memories came flooding back—the masked attackers, the battle, the terrifying Malakar, Luna losing her voice.
"Father!" Arius whispered, trying to sit up quickly, but a wave of dizziness forced him to lie back down.
"Easy, Arius," Victor said, his voice weak but gentle. "You're all right. We're all all right."
"But Luna…" Arius began, glancing at his silent sister. When he saw the sadness in her eyes, and the way she desperately touched her throat, he remembered everything. "No, this isn't fair! Why Luna? Why my little sister?"
Tears began to stream from Arius's eyes, but they were not the tears of a frightened child. They were tears of anger, pain, and something else—something darker and more dangerous. In his chest, the scar of memory began to throb again, but this time in a different way. It was not just blind power, but something more focused and controlled.
"Arius," Isabella said gently, "Come here."
Arius crawled toward his mother and sister, sitting beside them. Luna looked at him and reached out her small hand. He took her hand in his, and for a moment, he felt a strange warmth pass between them. Luna might have lost her voice, but the bond between them was stronger than any words.
"I promise you, Luna," Arius whispered with determination in his voice. "I promise I'll find a way to restore your voice. And I promise I'll make whoever did this to you pay."
Victor looked at his son with concern. He saw something in Arius's eyes he had never seen before—something beyond his years, darker than his childhood. "Arius, revenge won't bring Luna's voice back. Hatred will destroy you from the inside."
"Then what should I do?" Arius burst out. "Sit and pretend everything's fine? Forget what they did to us?"
"No," Victor said firmly. "You'll never forget. But remember why you fight. Don't fight for revenge, fight to protect those you love. Fight for justice, not vengeance."
Before Arius could reply, they heard noises from outside. The sounds of many footsteps, the clash of metal against metal, and whispers in different languages. Victor's heart sank. He knew these sounds.
They had returned.
Victor stood up with difficulty, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. He moved to the shattered window and looked outside. What he saw made his blood freeze. The palace was surrounded by a small army of masked attackers. Dozens of them, maybe more than fifty, all armed with weapons and magical staffs. And at the front stood Malakar, angrier and more determined than before.
"Isabella," Victor said quietly, but his voice carried a final tone. "Take the children and go to the secret passage. Now."
"Victor, no. I won't leave you."
"This isn't a request, Isabella. It's an order from your husband who loves you more than his own life." He turned to her, his eyes filled with deep love and indescribable sorrow. "I want you to take our children and protect them. That's all that matters to me now."
"But what about you?"
Victor gave a sad smile. "I'll give you the time you need to escape. I'll fight until my last breath."
"Father, no!" Arius cried, trying to stand. "I'll fight with you!"
"No, Arius. Your duty is to protect Luna. That's more important than any battle." Victor knelt before his son and placed his hands on his shoulders. "You're the man of the family now. You're the one who must protect your sister and mother."
"But I'm just a child!" Arius sobbed.
"No, you're not. Not anymore." Victor looked into his son's eyes and saw a painful maturity born from tragedy. "You are Arius Val Draconis, heir of a noble family, bearer of the Scar of Memory. You are stronger than you think."
At that moment, the main door of the palace burst open. Heavy footsteps began climbing the stairs, and the sounds of breaking and destruction filled the air. There was no more time.
"Go!" Victor shouted. "Go now!"
Isabella took Luna in her arms and grabbed Arius's hand. But Arius did not move. Instead, he looked at his father with eyes full of love and pain.
"Father, I love you."
"And I love you too, my little hero. I love you all more than life itself."
At last, the family began to move toward the secret passage hidden behind Victor's library. But before they could reach it, the attackers stormed into the room. This time they were greater in number and better organized. And at the front was Malakar, his eyes glowing with demonic rage.
"Victor Draconis," Malakar said, his voice as cold as death. "I've come to finish what I started."
"You will not touch my family," Victor said, standing before them like a wall of steel.
"Your family?" Malakar laughed a terrifying laugh. "Your family will die tonight, one by one, before your eyes. And you will tell me everything I want to know before I end your suffering."
"Never."
"We'll see."
Malakar raised his staff and began to mutter a dark incantation. But before he could finish, something happened that no one expected.
Isabella stepped forward to stand beside her husband.
"Isabella, no!" Victor shouted.
"We're in this together, Victor. As we always have been." She looked at him with eyes filled with love and determination. "If we must die, we'll die together, and we'll protect our children until the end."
For a moment, Victor felt immense pride. This woman, whom he loved more than his own life, was standing beside him in their darkest hour. Together, they were stronger than any enemy.
"Our children," Victor whispered.
"Our children," Isabella affirmed.
They turned to Arius and Luna, who stood behind them, their eyes full of fear and love. "Arius, Luna," Isabella said, her voice full of tenderness despite the danger surrounding them. "I want you both to know something. No matter what happens tonight, no matter what you see, remember that we love you more than anything in this world. This love will never die, even if…"
"Mama, don't say that!" Arius cried out, tears streaming down his face. Even Luna, though silent, had tears flowing from her eyes.
"Enough of this touching scene," Malakar said harshly. "It's time to die."
He unleashed a powerful spell toward Victor and Isabella. But the couple was ready. They raised their weapons together and cast a counter-spell. Blue and white light collided with the black energy in the center of the room, and a massive explosion shook the entire palace.
The final battle had begun.
Victor and Isabella fought like two trapped lions. Every movement was in harmony with the other, as if they were dancers performing a beautiful and tragic dance of death. Victor's sword sliced through the air in golden arcs, while Isabella's white magic lit up the room like a shining star.
But the enemies were far too many. For every attacker that fell, two more appeared. Victor suffered new wounds, and Isabella began to weaken from the drain on her magical energy.
Arius watched his parents fight and slowly die before his eyes, and something inside him was breaking. Not just his heart—something deeper. His innocence, his childhood, his belief that the world was a safe and just place.
"I can't just stand here and watch," he whispered to himself. The scar of memory on his chest began to throb powerfully, responding to his pain and anger.
"Arius, no!" Isabella screamed, sensing the energy gathering around her son. "Don't use your power! It's too dangerous!"
But Arius could no longer hear her. All he saw was his parents in pain, and his silent sister who needed his protection. He raised his hands, and black energy with silver threads began to gather around them.
"I swear," Arius said in a voice far beyond his years, filled with primal power and anger, "I swear I will make you pay for what you did to my family."
The energy exploded from his body like a tsunami wave. This time, it was stronger than anything he had ever unleashed before, driven by pure pain, deep love, and sacred rage. The wave swept through the room, and every attacker it touched fell to the ground, dead.
Even Malakar stepped back, stunned by the power displayed by an eight-year-old child.
But the energy was more than Arius's body could handle. He collapsed to his knees, bleeding from his nose and ears, his body shaking violently. Luna ran to him and placed her hands on him, her gentle golden light trying to heal him.
In that moment of weakness, Malakar attacked. But his target was not Arius—it was Victor and Isabella, who were exhausted from the long battle.
The spell struck Victor in the chest, and he fell to the ground. Isabella screamed and ran to him, but another spell hit her as well.
"Father! Mama!" Arius cried out, trying to stand, but his body would no longer obey him.
Victor was still alive, but barely. He looked at Isabella, who was dying beside him, then at his children.
"Arius," he whispered weakly. "Come here."
Arius crawled toward his father, tears streaming down his face. "Father, don't leave me. Please."
"Arius, listen to me carefully." Victor took his son's hand in his trembling one. "You are strong, stronger than you know. But strength alone is not enough. You need wisdom, mercy, and love."
"I don't understand."
"You will, someday." Victor looked at Luna, who was sitting beside their dying mother. "Protect your sister. Protect those you love. And don't let darkness consume your heart."
"Father…"
"I love you, Arius. I love you and Luna more than life itself. Always remember that."
With her last strength, Isabella reached out to her children. "Arius, Luna, come here."
They hugged their mother for the last time. She was cold, but her embrace still carried the same warmth and love they had known all their lives.
"I love you," Isabella whispered. "I love you forever."
Then she closed her eyes, and her heart stopped beating.
Victor looked at his dead wife and gave a sad smile. "Wait for me, my love. I'll be with you soon."
Then he looked at his children for the last time. "Be strong. Be kind. And remember us fondly."
With those words, Victor closed his eyes forever.
Arius and Luna sat beside their dead parents, crying silently. The whole world seemed to have ended. Everything beautiful in their lives had died on this dreadful night.
Malakar, who had been watching the scene coldly, stepped toward the children. "Now, little ones, you will tell me everything I want to know."
But before he could reach them, Gazel appeared again. This time, there was no mercy in his eyes.
"I told you not to come back," Gazel said, his voice cold as ice.
"You!" Malakar shouted. "Who are you? What is this power?"
"I am the one who protects this family. And you killed those under my protection."
What happened next was swift and terrifying. Gazel raised his hand, and Malakar—the powerful dark sorcerer who had terrified kingdoms—simply vanished. There was no light, no sound, not even a scream. Just… nothing.
Gazel turned to Arius and Luna, and for the first time, they saw his face beneath the hood. It was an old, wise face, full of sorrow and regret.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice heavy with genuine pain. "I'm sorry I didn't arrive in time."
Arius looked at him with eyes filled with tears and anger. "Why didn't you save them? Why did you let them die?"
"Because some things must happen, no matter how painful. Your parents died to protect you, and their sacrifice will not be in vain."
"I don't understand."
"You will, one day, Arius Val Draconis. You will understand that the greatest strength comes from the greatest pain, and the noblest hearts are born from the harshest trials."
Gazel looked at Luna, who was clutching her little doll and staring at him with wide eyes. "And Luna, your little sister, will be your light in the darkness. Protect her, and she will protect you."
"What will happen to us now?" Arius asked in a broken voice.
"You will live. You will grow. You will become strong. And one day, you will make your parents proud."
Gazel began to fade, like a shadow in the light of dawn. "Remember, love is stronger than death, and beautiful memories are stronger than any pain."
With those words, he disappeared, leaving Arius and Luna alone in the ruined palace, with the bodies of their parents and the memories of a night that changed their lives forever.
Arius held his silent sister, and for the first time since this nightmare began, he felt something other than pain and anger. He felt responsibility. Luna was all he had left of his family, and he had to protect her.
"I promise you, Luna," he whispered in her ear. "I promise I'll protect you. I promise I'll make whoever did this to us pay. And I promise I'll find a way to bring back your voice."
Luna looked at him and placed her small hand on his cheek, wiping away his tears. In her eyes, he saw something he didn't expect—not fear or sadness, but trust. Trust in him, in his ability to protect her, in a strength he had yet to understand. At that moment, Arius the innocent child died forever. And Arius the warrior was born, bearer of the scar of memory, silent Luna's protector, the young man who would one day become one of the greatest warriors in history.
But this was only the beginning. The road ahead of him was long and filled with pain and challenges. Years of surviving on the streets, harsh training, fierce battles, love, loss, and revenge.
But on this night, in this moment, he was just an eight-year-old child, holding his silent sister, weeping for his dead parents, carrying in his small heart a love greater than the whole world, and a pain deeper than any ocean.
This was the night the legend was born. The night the scar of vengeance was born.