Brother, I'm Home
Chapter 21: Brother, I'm Home
The battle had finally begun — not just for one village or one world, but for the very existence of Earth and the Crimson Zone.
From the sky above, a massive figure descended with chilling calm. Tatsuo, thought to be gone forever, had returned — his timing nothing short of heroic.
The monstrous Trigonor stood tall, his presence a terrifying omen not only for Earth but also for the Crimson Zone. His chaotic aura pulsed like a death bell for the world.
> Sethyrosis (with a deep growl):
"This beast... it's not just a threat to Earth. It endangers the Crimson Zone itself."
Tatsuo stepped forward, holding a glowing red crystal in his hand — the Crimson Stone.
> Tatsuo:
"That's why I brought this. We'll seal him inside the Crimson Order."
Realizing the situation was slipping from his grasp, Trigonor let out a furious roar and turned to flee. His enormous wings spread wide as he flew toward Velmora Village.
But Sethyrosis, the divine dragon, was too fast. In a blink, he intercepted Trigonor mid-air with a thunderous clash.
> Tatsuo (with a faint smile):
"You're not escaping this time. Honestly… I didn't expect Elira to be here — in my old home, Velmora."
> Tatsuo (commanding):
"Sethyrosis, hold off the beast. I'll go to Elira. We need her to unlock the Crimson Stone — once opened, the portal to the Crimson Order will appear, and we'll trap Trigonor inside."
As Sethyrosis engaged Trigonor in a violent mid-air duel, Tatsuo soared straight toward Velmora. He found Elira unconscious, lying on the ground.
Kneeling beside her, he shook her gently.
> Tatsuo (urgently):
"Elira… wake up. There's no time. The beast must be sealed now.
Your old friend is back… and he needs you."
From the shadows, Velmox emerged — he had been hiding, avoiding the beast's gaze. But upon seeing Tatsuo, he stepped out, eyes wide with relief.
> Velmox:
"Tatsuo?! You're here...? When did you return?"
(His voice trembled, but a small smile escaped him.)
> Tatsuo:
"I came through the portal. But we'll talk later — first, we need to seal Trigonor."
He turned back to Elira, placing a hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she stirred and opened her eyes, confused and breathless.
> Elira (softly):
"Tatsuo...? You're really here...?"
> Tatsuo (urgent but gentle):
"No time for questions. We need to go. Trigonor must be sealed before it's too late."
> Elira (nodding):
"Alright. Let's do this."
Velmox stayed behind as Tatsuo and Elira took flight, heading straight for the chaos in the sky.
There, Sethyrosis was still battling Trigonor fiercely. The divine dragon, though powerful, was clearly tired — his scales scorched, his breath heavy. Yet he pushed on, releasing waves of icy flames at Trigonor, who retaliated with guttural screams and vicious claw strikes.
Hovering above the two monsters, Tatsuo and Elira brought out the Crimson Stone. Together, they infused it with the energies of both Sun and Moon. A brilliant red and silver glow exploded from the crystal, and a swirling portal to the Crimson Order cracked open in midair.
> Tatsuo:
"This ends now."
Drawing his Ice Sword, now blazing with blue flames, Tatsuo slashed through the air. The arc of frozen fire struck Trigonor directly in the chest, staggering the beast.
Sethyrosis took the chance — with a mighty roar, he slammed into Trigonor and shoved him straight into the portal.
Tatsuo didn't waste a moment. He raised the Crimson Stone again and sealed the portal shut, locking Trigonor away.
> Tatsuo (panting):
"Looks like I didn't just save the Crimson Zone… I saved Earth too."
Elira, standing beside him with tears in her eyes, whispered softly:
> Elira:
"If you hadn't returned... this entire world — this village — might have been lost forever."
The blood-red sky began to fade, slowly returning to its natural blue. Peace was finally returning.
---
Back on the ground, Tatsuo looked at Elira with a warmth he hadn't felt in years.
> Tatsuo:
"I missed you, Elira... I really did. I never thought I'd find you here… in my home village."
> Elira (surprised):
"This is your village? Velmora?
Then we should head back. We need to speak with the leaders… and one of them is the Moon Goddess herself."
They climbed onto Sethyrosis's back and flew to the village center.
There, Cairo and Lysendra stood outside their home, watching as survivors were taken to shelters and medical tents.
> Cairo (nervously watching the sky):
"That dragon… who is it? What just happened?"
> Lysendra:
"Wait… someone's coming."
As Sethyrosis landed, Tatsuo and Elira dismounted and walked straight toward Cairo and Lysendra.
> Cairo (stepping forward cautiously):
"Who are you? The one riding that dragon?"
> Tatsuo (calmly):
"My name is Tatsuo. And you?"
Cairo's eyes widened. He froze. His body trembled.
He stared at Tatsuo for a long moment — then suddenly, his voice cracked.
> Cairo (breaking down):
"T-Tatsuo...? No… It can't be…"
Without another word, he ran forward and embraced his long-lost brother, breaking into tears.
> Cairo (crying):
"I'm your big brother, Tatsuo… I'm Cairo… I thought you were dead… I mourned you for years… Lysendra held me together when I was shattered."
> Tatsuo (softly, with tears in his eyes):
"Big brother…"
> Cairo (hugging tighter):
"Where did you go? Why didn't you come back?"
> Tatsuo:
"I was in the Crimson Zone… all this time.
And there… I met Elira."
Velmox, standing nearby, chuckled softly as he joined them.
> Velmox:
"Looks like I shouldn't interrupt a family reunion."
> Tatsuo:
"He's the one who brought me to the Crimson Zone… and gave me a home."
> Cairo (still overwhelmed):
"But you could've returned... why didn't you?"
> Tatsuo:
"I stayed because Elira was there... and...
(blushing) I brought her to Velmox's place — she's been with me ever since."
> Cairo (raising an eyebrow):
"Oh? So that's how it is…
But tell me, Tatsuo — are you going back to the Crimson Zone now?"
> Tatsuo (smiling):
"Not yet. There's someone already standing in my place — Zaraotheis."
> Cairo (hugging him again):
"Thank you… for coming back."
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End of Chapter 21: Brother, I'm Home