"I have to tell you something," Lucius began the next morning, gathering Akero, Nea, Kael, and Alabaster in the atrium. His voice was full of feigned reluctance. "While I was imprisoned, I heard rumors… about the Dungeon of Death."
The name hung in the air, cold and heavy. Even Serin and Kaelion, who were listening from the side, narrowed their eyes.
"It's a place beyond civilization," Lucius continued. "A place where only the worst enemies are sent… or those whom Unknown wants to erase. I heard that two people are imprisoned there… by mistake. Alone, with no protection. Unknown personally cast them into the darkness." He lied with the perfect amount of desperation in his voice. "I thought… if we could save them…"
"Rescue someone from the Dungeon of Death?" Kael raised an eyebrow. "That's a suicide mission."
"Maybe," Lucius admitted. "But if it's true, then those people have been through hell. If there's even a chance, no matter how small… isn't it worth the risk?" His gaze turned to Akero, seeking his conscience.
Akero felt a strange pull, something deep inside him responding to those words. "How did you hear about them?" he asked, still resisting.
"The guards would sometimes talk," Lucius replied, lying flawlessly. "They mentioned 'two lights in the dungeon.' I didn't know what that meant, but it sounded important."
Serin stepped forward. "This is dangerous, Akero. It could be a trap."
"I know," said Akero, firmly. "But he's right. If there's a chance to save someone from that hell, we have to take it. Nea, Kael, Alabaster… will you come with me?"
All three of them, after a brief hesitation, nodded. They fought together; they would go together.
"We will stay," Serin said, glancing at Kaelion, who nodded. "The Sanctuary must not remain unguarded. But be careful. Very careful."
The journey to the Dungeon of Death was long and silent, taking them through desolate mountain passes and rocky deserts where the only life was the clicking of scorpions. Lucius led them unerringly, his supposed memory of the escape route perfectly accurate. Finally, they reached a colossal carved mountain. In the middle of nowhere stood huge iron doors covered in dark runes—like the end of the world. In front of them, leaning against a stone, stood Vorath.
His blood-red armor gleamed under the pale sun. As soon as he saw them, a narrow, vicious smile spread across his face. "Long time no see, Akero," he said, his voice like rough grinding stone.
Akero tensed, eyes narrowing. "Vorath. I should have known you'd be the warden of this place. Unknown often uses dogs for dirty work."
Vorath laughed, then his gaze shifted to Alabaster. His dark eyes widened in a rare expression of pure surprise. "Alabaster… it's been a long time, old friend."
Alabaster froze, his pale face twisted with horror and sorrow. "I could say the same, Vorath," he replied, voice breaking. "But sadly, not under these circumstances."
"Sadly, indeed," said Vorath, and the blood around him began to boil and form sharp, crimson blades. "No more words."
The battle erupted. Vorath swung his hand, sending a stream of razor-sharp, almost liquid blood toward them. Alabaster leapt forward, his dark threads weaving into a net, splitting and slowing the blood—but Vorath's power was immense. Kael hurled fire that hissed on contact with blood, while Nea raised a shield of light to block the attacks.
Akero tried to slow time around Vorath, but the blood lord was too powerful—his control over his own essence absolute. "You're weak, boy!" Vorath roared. "Still weak!"
Then Lucius "jumped in." "Hold him!" he shouted, and his staff flared. He conjured an illusion of massive purple chains coiling around Vorath, binding him temporarily. Then he simulated a powerful psychic blast, yelling, "Now!" Vorath pretended to stagger, making his blood scatter as he dropped to one knee.
"Curse you… you tricked me…" Vorath growled, rising and backing away into the shadows of the mountain. "But this isn't over!" His laughter echoed as he vanished.
Everyone stood panting. Kael fell to one knee. "He was… stronger than I expected."
"Thanks to Lucius," said Nea, looking at him with newfound respect.
Lucius nodded, "exhausted." "I just bought some time. Let's go before he returns."
The iron doors groaned as they opened, revealing a corridor leading into utter darkness. The air was heavy with despair and the stench of death. They walked through a labyrinth of cells, staring at tortured faces behind bars. And then, in one of the deepest cells—they saw them.
A man and a woman—thin and worn—but their eyes still held a spark that separated them from the others. The man had Akero's eyes, and the woman had the same shape of nose as him.
In that moment, as Lucius looked at those two faces, something inside him cracked. It was as if the icy lock that sealed his true memories had split open.
Image: A room full of light. A woman with a warm smile reaching out to him. "Airon, come back in time for dinner!" A voice full of love, full of care.
Image: A father's hand on his shoulder. "Son, don't wander too far." His touch was warm, safe.
A feeling… of safety… of belonging…
Lucius's staff flickered in his hand. "No..." he whispered, his voice torn by pain. His eyes widened as his hand trembled toward the bars. "Mom… Dad…"
BUT THEN—a frozen strike, sharp and merciless, pierced his mind. An unknown will, cold and absolute, crashed down on him. Like a blade of ice, it severed every bond, every memory.
ERASING.
Image of the warm room—GONE.
Mother's smile—ERASED.
Father's voice—SILENCED.
Only emptiness remained. Cold, aching emptiness where memories had once been. Lucius jerked back, pale as death, his hand still shaking.
Akero stopped, heart pounding like a hammer. He felt an inexplicable pull, a sense of belonging he had never felt before. "You are…" he began, voice cracking.
The woman looked directly at him, tears streaming down her face. "I am Lesandra," she whispered, voice rough from disuse. "And I am Maximilian," said the man. Their eyes were fixed on Akero, full of disbelief and hope. "Our son… our Akero."
The world stopped for Akero. The word "son" echoed inside him, filling the void he had felt his whole life. Without doubt, without hesitation, he ran forward and threw himself into their arms, hugging them desperately as if afraid they would vanish if he let go. "Mom! Dad!" he cried, his voice muffled in their robes, his body shaking. "I thought you were dead… I've been searching for you all my life without even knowing it."
"We hid you," Maximilian said, holding his son tightly, tears streaming down his face as well. "We sent you to another world before Unknown found us. It was the only place where you would be safe. Forgive us… forgive us for leaving you."
"No," Akero said, lifting his head. His eyes were red with tears, but full of love and understanding. "Don't apologize. You saved me. And now… now I'm here to save you." He turned toward his friends who stood in silence, touched by the scene. "And these… these are my friends. My family." He turned. "This is Nea, the kindest and bravest person I know. This is Kael, whose loyalty has never been in question. And this is Alabaster, who helps us correct the mistakes of the past." Finally, he looked at Lucius, who still seemed pale and lost. "And this is Lucius—without whom we wouldn't have found you today."
They each gave a small bow or smile, greeting Akero's parents with a mix of compassion and respect.
After freeing Maximilian and Lesandra and making a quick escape from the dungeon, they returned to the Sanctuary. The reunion was an emotional storm. Akero introduced his parents to Serin and Kaelion, who welcomed them solemnly, aware they were meeting people who survived years in Unknown's hell. Dinner that night was full of laughter and stories, and Akero couldn't take his eyes off his parents—his heart finally whole where there once had been emptiness.
That night, while everyone else slept or celebrated, Lucius withdrew into a dark corner of the atrium. The mission is successful. The parents are with him.
Unknown's response was immediate. Good. Now just stay close. Earn their trust. Become their friend, their advisor. The time for the final step will come soon.
Lucius looked across the room, where Akero sat between his parents, his face finally at peace. Understood, he sent back. It's only a matter of time. And he remained there, in the shadows—the perfect lie, waiting for its moment.