Apology or Warning

It was time.

The room I once dreaded—where Dante, Zaden, Ashton, and Nantos usually lingered like vultures around a fresh kill—stood ahead. But today, I wasn't walking in with my head down or my fists clenched in fear. Today, I walked in with purpose. With fire in my blood.

I reached for the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

The moment I entered, three heads turned toward me. Nantos. Ashton. But not Zaden. Not Dante. They weren't there.

Strange.

The atmosphere was thick, charged. They had been waiting for me.

"There he is." Ashton said with a smirk, rising from where he sat. "The man of the hour."

He strolled toward me slowly, relaxed, hands in his pockets like we were old friends. I tensed, my fists curling slightly at my sides. I wasn't in the mood for another performance, another mock fight to entertain their boredom.

I was tired of fighting idiots.

But then Ashton did something unexpected.

He stopped in front of me and placed both hands on my shoulders—not with force, but with something that almost resembled pride.

"I gotta say, Elias… you impressed us today."

I blinked, unsure if I heard him right. "What?"

Ashton chuckled, his grin widening like he was enjoying my confusion. "Yeah. That punch? The way you took down Zaden and his dogs? Damn. That was art. Finally someone shutting that arrogant prick up."

I froze. Ashton? Praising me? Was this a joke?

From across the room, Nantos leaned forward, elbows on his knees. His voice was calm, quiet, but carried weight.

"I've hated Zaden for a long time." He said, eyes narrowing slightly.

"But none of us could do anything about him. Not with his father being a professor here. Touch him, and you're automatically on the blacklist. But today…" He let out a slow breath. "He crossed a line. The second he brought up your family, he made it personal. You did what all of us wanted to do."

Ashton nodded enthusiastically, then slung an arm around my shoulder like we were best friends. "Come on, man. Sit down. We've got some things to talk about."

He led me toward the bed casually, like this was all perfectly normal.

And maybe it was for them.

But not for me.

What was this? Some sort of mind game? Were they testing me? Waiting for me to drop my guard so they could strike again? Or… was this real?

I walked stiffly beside Ashton, my body tense, my mind racing. These guys—Zaden's usual circle—now siding with me?

No. This wasn't right. It didn't make sense.

But one thing was clear:

Everything was changing.

"But I'm still confused…" Ashton's voice broke through the hum of thoughts in my head. He tilted his head slightly, looking at me with something I hadn't seen from him before—genuine curiosity. Not mockery. Not disdain.

"You had this in you… so why did you pretend to be weak?"

I opened my mouth.

But nothing came out.

What could I even say? I didn't have an answer. I never planned this. I didn't decide to pretend to be weak. That's just who Elias was—weak, forgettable, a filler in someone else's story.

Elias… wasn't some secret hero hiding his power. He wasn't the chosen one, the underdog waiting for his moment to shine. He wasn't even the rival to the main character.

He was a villain.

But not the grand, terrifying kind. Not the one with a master plan.

No. I was the other kind—the one who shows up in the middle of the story, causes a little trouble, then gets thrown aside. Forgotten. Unimportant.

The kind of villain people laugh at before the real threat arrives.

That was who Elias was supposed to be.

A stepping stone for Dante. Nothing more.

But something had changed.

Ever since that night in the dungeon—when everything fell apart, and I got sent back to the start—something inside me was different. I wasn't the same Elias anymore.

And if I really thought about it… how was I able to take down Zaden and his gang like that? Was it just rage? Was it something more?

Before I could answer—or even try—the door swung open.

Bang.

And just like that, the air shifted.

Zaden and Dante stepped inside. The energy in the room immediately dropped a few degrees.

Their eyes locked onto me, sitting with Ashton and Nantos like we were old friends sharing stories.

Zaden's face twisted into fury. "Why is this bastard sitting with you guys?!" he barked, taking a step forward like he might explode again.

But Dante raised a hand calmly, stepping in front of him.

"Zaden, I think you're forgetting something." His voice was smooth, low, dangerous. "And this is… completely different from what we discussed."

Zaden turned to him, seething. "And you think I'm going to do that?"

What were they talking about?

Dante's voice dropped even lower, his words sharp and deliberate. "Yes. You will. Unless, of course, you're okay with being kicked out of Astarst. Or worse… your father losing his job."

A heavy silence dropped in the room.

My eyes snapped to Zaden.

His father?

So that's why they were acting different. This wasn't some sudden wave of morality. This was damage control. Survival.

Zaden's glare burned into me, his jaw clenched tight. He looked like he wanted to punch me all over again. But instead, he let out a sharp breath and walked toward me with stiff steps.

Then… the impossible happened.

He stopped in front of me.

And bowed his head slightly.

"I stepped out of line earlier." he muttered through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry."

I stared at him.

Not in shock.

But in silence.

It wasn't an apology. Not really. It was a warning. A temporary truce born from consequences, not regret.

I didn't say anything.

Because right now, the game had changed.

And I had just become a piece that couldn't be ignored.