The Rising Heroes had defeated Eternal Wings.
With that victory, they had taken another step forward in the tournament.
The Quarter Finals awaited them.
However, despite the excitement of advancing, everyone's thoughts were still occupied by the events that had happened after the match.
The conversation between The Rising Heroes, Platinum Edge, and Eternal Wings had been heavy.
Very heavy.
The truth that had been hidden for years had finally come to light.
For Drakar and Raedon especially, everything felt overwhelming.
Their entire understanding of the past had changed within a single day.
For years the two brothers had barely spoken properly to each other. Both of them had their own thoughts, their own frustrations, and their own misunderstandings. Neither truly knew how the other felt.
And now, both of them realized that needed to change.
After some time, Drakar approached Raedon.
He told him that he wanted to talk.
Raedon immediately showed a look of reluctance. Part of him still felt angry.
Even though he understood that Drakar had only wanted to protect him, he still couldn't ignore the fact that he had been denied the truth for years.
He knew Drakar's intentions had been good.
But he also felt things could have been handled differently.
Still, after a moment of silence, Raedon agreed.
Drakar nodded.
Then he told Raedon that before they talked, there was somewhere he wanted to take him.
The two brothers left together.
Drakar led Raedon toward a remote mountain region.
A place neither of them had visited together for a very long time.
Their village.
Or at least where it used to be.
When they arrived, there was nothing left.
No homes.
No people.
No signs of life.
Only the mountains and the wind remained.
The place that had once been their entire world had become little more than a memory.
The two stood silently.
Neither spoke.
Raedon looked around.
He didn't know how he was supposed to feel.
This place had once been everything to them. Yet he could barely remember it. Even his memories of their parents were faded. Like fragments of a dream that disappeared the moment he tried to hold onto them. His entire life had been built on a lie. And now that he knew the truth, the reality was painful as well.
Nothing felt complete.
After a long silence, Drakar finally spoke.
"Once again... I'm sorry."
His voice was quiet.
"I know I don't deserve forgiveness."
He lowered his head.
"But I really am sorry."
Raedon didn't answer immediately.
He simply looked ahead.
The wind passed between them.
Yes, Drakar was responsible for some of what he had gone through.
But at the same time, Raedon couldn't bring himself to hate him.
He couldn't bring himself to direct all of his anger toward his brother.
Eventually, Raedon spoke.
"I don't remember much about this place."
His eyes wandered across the empty land.
"I don't remember our parents very well either."
He let out a slow breath.
"I don't remember the people from our village... Everything feels so... incomplete."
Drakar remained silent.
Raedon continued.
"When I woke up, I was scared."
He clenched his fists.
"I didn't know what happened. I couldn't remember anything." The first thing I knew was that our parents were dead."
He laughed bitterly. "The only thing that kept me going was knowing my brother was there."
For the first time, he looked directly at Drakar.
"It didn't matter what you said. I believed you. Because you were my brother."
Drakar lowered his gaze.
Raedon continued.
"The thing that hurt me the most wasn't the lie."
His voice became softer.
"It was watching my brother slowly drift further and further away from me."
He shook his head.
"And you didn't even seem to care."
A small pause followed.
Then Raedon sighed.
"You really are terrible at showing your emotions."
Drakar immediately replied.
"Sorry."
Raedon stared at him.
Then spoke in an irritated tone.
"Stop apologizing for everything."
Drakar blinked.
"Oh..."
A brief pause.
"Sorry."
Raedon immediately grabbed his head in frustration.
Drakar awkwardly looked away.
For the first time in years, the tension between them eased slightly.
The two remained there for a little while longer before eventually returning.
When they returned, Solreth called for them once again.
He explained that there was something important he had forgotten to tell them earlier.
Both brothers immediately paid attention.
Once they were seated, Solreth began speaking.
"As I said before, I was there that day."
He paused.
"And I met both of you."
The twins nodded.
Solreth continued.
"But there is something I forgot to mention."
His expression grew thoughtful.
"You two weren't the only ones I met that day."
Drakar and Raedon immediately looked at him in shock.
Solreth continued.
"There was another survivor."
The room became silent.
"A young girl."
He folded his arms.
"She was hiding. And just like I did with you, I told her to run away."
Both brothers were visibly surprised.
Solreth nodded.
"If I'm not mistaken, she is an Ice Dragonkind."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he remembered.
"I actually met her again last year."
That surprised them even more.
Solreth continued.
"She is currently associated with Karvek from the Kingdom of Raztak."
He paused.
"She should be around your age."
Then came the most shocking part.
"And she has already obtained her Primal Form."
Both brothers froze.
Solreth shrugged.
"She isn't participating in the tournament for some reason. I don't know why. Maybe she will enter during a later stage. Maybe not."
He looked at them.
"But there is a chance you may meet her someday."
The revelation left both brothers speechless.
There had been another survivor.
Someone who carried the same past as them.
Someone from their village.
Someone who had survived.
Part of them felt relieved.
Part of them felt happy.
But another part couldn't help comparing themselves.
Someone their age had already reached the Primal Form.
It reminded them of how much stronger they still wanted to become.
Eventually the conversation settled down.
And before long, the Round of 16 officially came to an end.
The Quarter Finals were finally decided.
The Rising Heroes now knew their next opponents.
Hands of Karma.
One of the strongest teams remaining in the tournament.
Soon after, the team gathered together for a meeting.
As usual, Adrian took the lead.
He cleared his throat.
"Ahem."
Everyone turned toward him.
"Once again, we will be facing a team considered among the strongest groups in the world."
His expression remained calm.
"But that changes nothing."
He looked at each member.
"We are not going into this fight expecting to lose."
His voice grew firmer.
"We will step onto that battlefield with the intention of winning every single match."
Everyone nodded confidently.
Adrian smiled slightly.
"Good."
Then he continued.
"Let's go over our opponents."
He raised a finger.
"First is their leader."
"Arveth. Also known as 'Night's Heir.'"
Adrian crossed his arms.
"He uses the Shadow Element and specializes in spear combat."
His expression became serious.
"Be careful around him."
"His fighting style is extremely difficult to read."
He raised a second finger.
"Next is Grauven. 'The Golden Beast.' A Lion Beastkin. He uses dual axes." And he is a dual-element user. Fire and Thunder."
Adrian shook his head.
"He never stops attacking. If you're fighting him, end the battle quickly. Because he certainly won't get tired before you do."
A third finger.
"Sarika. The Silver Storm. A Cat Beastkin. She uses Wind Element and fights with a halberd."
His expression remained serious.
"Her speed is exceptional."
A fourth finger.
"Britav. 'The Forest That Hunts.'"
Adrian immediately frowned.
"He is extremely calculating. He rarely lets opponents figure out his next move. He specializes in Nature Magic. And uses a greatsword."
He pointed forward.
"Watch out for his traps. And even if you avoid them, his sword will still be waiting. You'll need to stay mobile."
A fifth finger.
"Ravik. 'The Ember Fist.' He fights using explosive gauntlets."
Adrian smiled slightly.
"Very straightforward. Very aggressive. Very dangerous."
A sixth finger.
"Sarenya. 'The White Comet.' An Elf. Energy Element user."
His expression sharpened.
"Her mana reserves are enormous. She's also an excellent archer." You'll need to find openings quickly before she overwhelms you."
Finally, the seventh finger.
"Vashari. 'Sovereign of Avalanche. Ice Element user. Her weapon is a shield."
A few people looked surprised.
Adrian nodded.
"Don't underestimate her because of that. She's calm. Cold. And hits like an avalanche."
He paused.
"So try not to stand in the way of those hits."
The team listened carefully.
After finishing the introductions, Adrian looked around.
"That's everyone."
"There are seven members."
"But only five of them will face us."
He folded his arms.
"Arveth and Grauven will almost certainly participate. They're the leader and vice-leader. So we should expect them."
Adrian then nodded.
"We have two days before the Quarter Finals."
His expression became determined.
"So let's use that time well."
Everyone agreed.
The meeting continued as they discussed strategies, possibilities, and preparations.
The Quarter Finals were approaching.
Only two days remained before the next battle.
And with every passing hour, the next challenge drew closer.