Inheritance of Silence

Chapter 8: Inheritance of Silence

The battle was over. The mighty Sun God, Tyran, had fallen. What remained of him was nothing but scorched earth and silence. As the smoke cleared from the battlefield deep within the forest, a single orb of glowing yellow light—the very essence of the Sun's power—rose from the ashes and drifted upward into the sky. It floated higher and higher until it disappeared into the blazing sun.

Far away, back at the village of Velmora, Sarina walked slowly, barely able to keep her balance. Her divine glow had faded, and her body trembled from exhaustion. Before she could fall, two guards rushed forward and caught her.

"Lady Sarina! You saved us from Lord Tyran's wrath," one guard said.

"Please, there's no time to talk! Get her to the hospital—quickly!" said the second guard.

They carried her gently through the crowd. Villagers stepped aside, watching with wide eyes filled with both awe and grief.

Inside the hospital, Sarina was immediately admitted. The doctors and nurses worked tirelessly, performing surgeries and healing her wounds. Hours passed. Finally, her eyes opened.

"Lysendra...? Where is she?" Sarina whispered weakly.

Lysendra was by her side instantly, tears streaming down her face as she leaned in to hug her mother.

"Mom! You're alive... thank the heavens... you saved all of us."

Sarina gently placed her hand on her daughter's cheek. "Lysendra... I had to use a power I promised myself I'd never touch. The Moon's Wrath. It... it shortened my life. I only have five or six years left."

Tears welled in Lysendra's eyes. Her hands trembled as she held her mother's.

"It doesn't matter," she said with a shaking voice. "You're alive now. That's what matters. I will take care of you for the rest of your days. You're a hero, Mom. You saved us all."

Sarina smiled softly. "You've grown into a strong, wise girl. I'm proud of you."

In another room, Cairo lay injured. Bandages wrapped around his torso, and doctors urged him to rest. But the moment he woke up, he sat up, ignoring the pain.

"Where's Lysendra? I need to see her."

He limped through the hallway, struggling with every step, until he found her just outside Sarina's room.

"Cairo," Lysendra said tearfully. "My mother… she saved the village. She fought my father and—she sacrificed her own life span to stop him."

Cairo's eyes widened. "She did all that for us? Then she's a true hero. And we'll make sure her final years are filled with love and peace."

Lysendra nodded. "Yes. We owe her everything."

—

Far away, in the mysterious realm known as the Crimson Zone, a very different story was unfolding. Tatsuo stood inside Velmox's strange laboratory. The dragon Sethyrosis rested outside, coiled around the house like a guardian.

Tatsuo frowned. "What are you doing, Velmox?"

Velmox didn't look up. "I'll tell you when it works."

Tatsuo sighed. "Why did you bring me here anyway? I could've stayed with my brother… he probably thinks I'm dead."

Velmox finally turned, his masked face unreadable. "Your brother never came looking for you. Are you sure you want to return to a world that forgot you?"

Tatsuo froze.

The words struck deep. He clenched his fists and turned away.

Moments later, outside the lab, Tatsuo called out, "Sethyrosis, let's go for a ride."

"Hey, where are you going?" Velmox asked.

Tatsuo didn't look back. "You're boring me. I need air."

As he soared into the sky on the dragon's back, wind rushing through his hair, Tatsuo felt alive again. The pain, the anger—it faded in the thrill of flight.

"I never imagined I'd feel this free," he whispered.

Below, something caught his eye. A young girl was running—terrified. Two men chased her. Tatsuo's eyes narrowed.

"Sethyrosis! Dive!"

The dragon roared and descended rapidly. One of the men grabbed the girl, but before he could harm her, a wave of icy blue fire engulfed him. The second man tried to run, but Tatsuo blasted him too.

They landed. Tatsuo ran to the girl.

"Are you okay? What's your name?"

The girl looked up with teary eyes. "Elira. I'm ten years old."

"I'm Tatsuo. I'm eight. Why were they chasing you?"

Elira sniffled. "I… I don't know. I live alone. My parents are gone. I beg for food. They saw me alone and tried to grab me. Thank you… you saved me."

Tatsuo's heart sank.

"You don't deserve this life," he said softly. "Come with me. I'll take you somewhere safe. Would you like to ride a dragon?"

Elira's eyes widened. She saw Sethyrosis waiting nearby, majestic and terrifying.

"But… I don't have any money…"

Tatsuo smiled. "You don't need any. Let's go."

He helped her climb up, holding her hand tightly. "Hold on!"

The dragon took off, soaring into the skies once more. Elira screamed with joy.

"I've never even ridden a car! And now I'm flying! Thank you, Tatsuo!"

"You're welcome. From now on, you don't have to be alone."

They arrived back at Velmox's house. As they walked in, Elira froze.

"Who's that?!" she whispered, pointing at Velmox.

Tatsuo chuckled. "That's just Velmox. He wears a weird mask. But he's not scary."

Velmox raised a hand. "You're safe here. Don't worry."

Elira slowly smiled.

And so, a new bond began—between two lost children in a forgotten dimension.

Little did they know, destiny was already watching and the future would never be the same.

—End of Chapter 8: Inheritance of Silence—