---
The battlefield rumbled with heat and ash.
Zeldaris swung his massive club — Hellslayer — and struck Yaman square in the chest. The impact sent him crashing across the scorched ground, rolling violently until his broken body stopped near his father.
Yaman gasped, his chest burning, blood dripping from his lips. He pressed his trembling hand against the ground, trying to stand, but the strike was too heavy. His knees buckled.
"Damn it…" he whispered hoarsely, eyes narrowing at the towering figure before him. "What is this… monster?"
The word echoed.
Zeldaris froze. For a moment, his arrogant grin twisted into something darker. Then, he began laughing — loud, harsh, manic.
But as the sound echoed across the battlefield, memories crept into his mind.
Children throwing stones.
Villagers spitting at him.
Faces twisted with fear.
Their voices rang in his ears:
"Monster."
"Stay away, monster."
"He's cursed."
And there he was — a little Zeldaris, crying, arms covering his bruised face, whispering desperately, "Please… I'm not a monster."
His laughter cracked, then twisted into fury. His grip on Hellslayer trembled, and he slammed it into the ground, splitting the earth with rage.
"Damn it! Don't think about it! I've gotten over it…" he shouted, his voice shaking. His eyes burned red with madness. "I am a monster!"
He raised his head, glaring at Yaman, who was struggling to rise beside his fading father. Fernando's body trembled, bloodied and exhausted.
Zeldaris smiled wickedly. "Boy… tell me, why do you fight me? You know death is your destiny." His voice was hungry for an answer, eager to hear the defiance.
Yaman wiped the blood from his lips and smiled sarcastically, his voice sharp as steel.
"Death is my destiny, you say? And who the hell gave you the right to hand out people's destinies, scoundrel?" His aura flared, magma dripping from his body. "No one decides when I die but me."
Zeldaris' smile widened. For a moment, his eyes shone with something close to admiration. But before he could speak, Yaman's voice thundered again:
"And as for why I fight… it's simple. To liberate my island, Vulcanus, from your rule. To free it from your cursed guild and bring it peace, justice, and security."
The words cracked across the battlefield like thunder.
Zeldaris stared at him for a long, silent moment. Then, he chuckled. A low, dark laugh at first… before it erupted into a roar so loud it made the volcanoes tremble.
Kur's eyes widened. Fernando, even in his weakened state, shuddered.
Then Zeldaris lowered his head and smirked.
"You are a wonderful boy… Ignace." His voice was silk and venom. "You are very promising. It seems we share the same dream — protecting Vulcanus. What do you say? Join me."
He spread his arms, his aura expanding, suffocating the battlefield.
"Together, we would be unstoppable. Fiore would tremble. Ashgar itself would bow before us. Vulcanus would stand as an empire, not a weak little island. We would rule, side by side." His eyes gleamed, almost seductive. "What do you say?"
Yaman lowered his head.
Fernando's blood ran cold. He knew his son's obsession with strength… and he feared the boy might accept. His lips parted to speak, but before he could, Yaman's aura surged.
He lifted his head, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Go to hell, Zeldaris." His voice was thunder. "I'd rather die than join scum like you. You call this protecting Vulcanus? You've drowned it in fear. You've filled it with gangs and criminals under your command. Your guild terrorizes and executes the innocent. You've divided it into a land where the strong devour the weak. And you dare call that protection?"
The words cut like blades.
Zeldaris… laughed. At first softly, almost gently. Then louder. Louder. His body shook with it, his laughter rolling like a storm.
"Yes… yes! That's exactly it, boy!" He raised Hellslayer, pointing it at Yaman like a decree. "That is my philosophy. Fear brings protection. Peace and security? Those are illusions — lies that make men soft and weak. But fear… fear makes men aware. Fear makes them strong. Fear keeps them alive."
His eyes glowed like fire, his face twisted with zealotry.
"You think you can fight me with your childish sense of justice? You don't even know what's out there. Beyond your precious seas, Yaman — there are monsters. Dark Guilds. The Magic Council itself. Demons in human skin. Do you think Vulcanus would have lasted a single year without me? Without Cerberus? It would have been devoured long ago."
He slammed his club into the ground again, his aura erupting like wildfire.
"But because I rule through fear, because Cerberus is dreaded — no one dares invade. No one dares touch Vulcanus. You see now, boy? Fear is protection. Fear is truth. Fear is power."
Yaman's breath hitched. His fists trembled. The words burrowed into his chest, shaking him. His eyes widened, his mind torn between rage and… doubt.
Zeldaris' voice thundered like prophecy.
"Tell me, Yaman! Are you really so blind? Or are you afraid… that deep down, I am right?"
---
---
The battlefield trembled. The glow of magma and the echo of steel filled the silence.
Zeldaris stood, his body scarred, his face burned, yet his aura burned brighter than ever. His voice carried like thunder.
"You think you know pain, boy? You think you know suffering? You know nothing."
Yaman gritted his teeth, but something in Zeldaris' voice made him freeze. It wasn't just arrogance anymore—it was pain.
Zeldaris lowered his club, his one eye gleaming with rage and memory. His words dripped like venom, yet each carried the weight of scars.
"I had a father. I had a mother. I even had a dream. And once… I even smiled."
Yaman's eyes widened. He had never imagined this monster with such a past.
Zeldaris' voice cracked for the first time as his memories spilled into the battlefield like poison.
Perfect, this is the missing psychological backbone of Zeldaris. It explains his hatred, his obsession with fear as protection, and why he rejects justice and peace as illusions. Let's weave it into the confrontation as a flashback monologue, while Yaman listens and struggles inside.
---
The battlefield trembled. The glow of magma and the echo of steel filled the silence.
Zeldaris stood, his body scarred, his face burned, yet his aura burned brighter than ever. His voice carried like thunder.
"You think you know pain, boy? You think you know suffering? You know nothing."
Yaman gritted his teeth, but something in Zeldaris' voice made him freeze. It wasn't just arrogance anymore—it was pain.
Zeldaris lowered his club, his one eye gleaming with rage and memory. His words dripped like venom, yet each carried the weight of scars.
"I had a father. I had a mother. I even had a dream. And once… I even smiled."
Yaman's eyes widened. He had never imagined this monster with such a past.
Zeldaris' voice cracked for the first time as his memories spilled into the battlefield
---
Zeldaris's laughter slowly faded, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Yaman. For a moment, his ferocity was gone—replaced with a shadow of something older, heavier.
"Boy… do you think you're the only one who fights for Vulcanus? Do you think you're the only one who bleeds for it?" His voice trembled, not from weakness, but from the weight of memory. "You know nothing about what It
Zeldaris closed his eyes. And then… the battlefield around them seemed to fade.
---
Flashback Begins
The scene shifted to a small, warm home lit by candlelight. A young boy, Zeldaris, no older than eight, sat at a wooden table. His mother, Sophia, placed a small cake before him, smiling gently. His father, Marcus, ruffled his hair.
"Happy birthday, my son," Sophia whispered, hugging him.
Zeldaris's eyes glowed with innocent joy. But then—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The front door shook under violent knocks. Marcus frowned and went to open it. Outside stood men in black cloaks with the Magic Council's insignia, their masked faces cold and unreadable.
One pointed at the boy.
"This is the child. Take him."
Marcus's heart pounded. "Why? We didn't do anything!" He then saw the insignia and froze. His voice cracked with fury and confusion. "How come? Our island, Vulcanus, is not part of the Magic Council. You have no right to take my son without any reason!"
The battalion commander stepped forward, his tone colder than steel.
"People like you have no right to object. Arrest them all."
Chains of magic bound Zeldaris as he screamed in fear. "Mother! Father!" Sophia rushed forward, hugging him tightly. "Don't cry, my son. Everything will be fine."
They dragged all three to the royal palace of Vulcanus.
The king sat upon his golden throne, his lips curling into a greedy smile as he looked at the frightened family. His gaze fixed on little Zeldaris.
"You, the family, will provide a great service to Vulcanus. We've all heard about little Zeldaris's great magical abilities."
He leaned forward, his tone smooth and venomous.
"We value promising talents like little Zeldaris, and we believe he should be raised in an environment that hones this talent so he can be a protector of Vulcanus Island.
Therefore, I made a deal with the Magic Council. Little Zeldaris will become a soldier for the Council, and Vulcanus Island will be under the Magic Council. In this way, we will receive international recognition and increased resources. What do you think of this matter, Marcus and Sophia?"
Sophia clutched her son, trembling. Zeldaris, terrified, felt hot tears streaking his face.
Marcus's fists shook with rage. He shouted, his voice echoing through the hall:
"Don't involve my son in your political dealings! My son is not a commodity or a weapon to anyone!"
The king sneered arrogantly.
"You dare say such words to the king? Kill him!"
BANG!
A magic bullet pierced Marcus's head. He collapsed lifelessly before his wife and son.
"F-Father!" Zeldaris screamed, his voice breaking. Sophia wailed, tears streaming down her face.
In that moment of despair, a torrent of fiery magical power erupted from the child. The palace shook as chains shattered around him.
Sophia hugged him tightly, smiling through her tears.
"Run, Zeldaris. You are free. Don't worry… I am sure that we will meet again one day."
"No, Mother! Come with me!"
She pushed him away, still smiling despite her fear.
"Run!"
And so he ran. The guards and battalion tried to stop him, but with a fiery surge of magic, the child incinerated those in his path.
He escaped into the volcanoes of Vulcanus—alone, broken, and hated. Villagers beat him when he tried to steal food. They spat on him, calling him a monster.
And so… little by little… he believed it.
Until one day, he met Kur. Together, they built Cerberus.
---
Flashback Ends
Zeldaris opened his eyes, his face twisted with hatred and pain. "Do you understand now, boy? I was not born a monster. They made me one."
Yaman's chest tightened. His mind swirled with conflict—the justice his father taught him clashing with Zeldaris's brutal philosophy.
Zeldaris pointed his club at him, shouting:
"Fear is the only truth! Fear is what protects! Justice, security, dreams—they are illusions that kings and councils sell before crushing them underfoot!"
Yaman's heart pounded. For a moment, he saw the broken child inside Zeldaris… but he also saw the tyrant before him.
---