In the depths of the Continental Prison, where the most notorious criminals are locked away, a black-haired man sat in chains. His physique was striking—lean, muscular, and undeniably handsome. This was Carlos, the former Knight Captain of the Naeva Kingdom.

A voice shattered the silence. "Carlos. Come with me. Let's destroy the kingdom of Naeva." Carlos lifted his gaze and saw Kaelzar standing before him, holding the severed head of a dead guard. 

He let out a low whistle. "Pass. I'm not interested in that kind of thing. I’m just waiting for my death," he said casually.

Kaelzar’s grip on the lifeless head tightened, his expression darkening. The room felt heavier, thick with unspoken tension and lingering history. "I thought you had more loyalty than that, old friend," Kaelzar sneered. "Did you forget the fire that once burned in you? The hunger for vengeance that drove us both forward?" With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the severed head aside, the dull thud echoing against the stone walls. He stepped closer, his shadow looming over Carlos like a suffocating presence. "You’re nothing but a pathetic shell of the man you used to be," he spat, his voice laced with contempt.

Carlos met Kaelzar’s furious gaze with a calm, unwavering expression. "And what about you, old friend? You’ve become a ruthless killer—nothing like the man I once knew. Do you really think Mikaela would be happy to see her brother like this?"

Kaelzar's body tensed, his anger boiling over, but he didn’t strike. Instead, his fists clenched at his sides as his voice trembled with fury. "Shut up! You wouldn’t understand! You’re just a coward!" he snarled. "The kingdom betrayed me—betrayed us! They sent Mikaela to fight the Dark Lord, knowing she wouldn’t survive. And when we disobeyed the royals to save her, they branded us criminals and hunted us down!" His voice cracked, raw with grief. "I wouldn’t have cared if I died, as long as we reached Mikaela in time. But by the time we got there… she was already gone. All that was left of her was her torso." Kaelzar’s rage echoed through the prison walls, but beneath it was something deeper—pain, loss, and an unhealed wound that time could never mend.

Carlos remained unmoved, his expression steady as Kaelzar's rage poured out. The weight of grief, betrayal, and fury filled the room, but Carlos' voice cut through it like a blade.

"You blame the kingdom, but is it truly their fault? And what about the innocent lives you've taken? Do they deserve this, Kael? Do they!?" His tone was firm yet calm, a stark contrast to Kaelzar’s seething anger. "Or have you let your thirst for vengeance blind you, leading you down a path of destruction?"

Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating. For a brief moment, Kaelzar’s hardened exterior cracked, doubt flickering in his eyes.

But then, his fury reignited. "Don't lecture me!" he spat. "And what about you, Carlos? You just accepted your fate, letting them brand you a criminal for trying to save the woman you loved! I trusted you, but you never once fought back against the kingdom’s betrayal! And yet you dare tell me you loved my sister!? You’re nothing but a damn hypocrite!"

Carlos flinched slightly as Mikaela’s voice echoed in his memory—her dream of a peaceful life, her quiet hope that, if she fell in battle, her brother would find a way to live without hatred.

Carlos' gaze dropped, lost in the echoes of the past. He could still feel Mikaela’s touch, hear her soft voice speaking of a peaceful future—one that would never come. She had always known the risks of being a knight, but she also knew her brother too well. If she died for the kingdom, he would never forgive them. That was why she had confided in Carlos, asking him to watch over Kaelzar if the worst happened.

"I… I didn’t fight the kingdom," Carlos admitted, his voice strained with regret. "Not because I accepted their judgment, and not because I embraced life as a criminal. I chose to bear the consequences alone, rather than drag others into the same darkness. That’s what Mikaela would have wanted."

He lifted his gaze, meeting Kaelzar’s furious eyes with quiet sorrow. "Your sister never wanted this for you. She valued life, sought peace, and above all, she hoped you would find happiness beyond the pain of our past."

His words lingered, heavy with meaning—a painful truth Kaelzar could not ignore. 

"Tsk. Suit yourself," Kaelzar scoffed. "Rot in this prison for all I care. I’ve already gathered the worst criminals in this place. We will invade Naeva… and after that, I’ll finally join Mikaela in the grave." With that, he disappeared into the shadows.

A chilling silence followed, broken only by a distant scream from the upper levels—a grim reminder of Kaelzar’s intentions.

Carlos remained still, his heart weighed down by regret. He had failed—as a friend, as a protector, and as the one entrusted with Mikaela’s final wish.

But as the darkness pressed in around him, he clung to her memory. He couldn't change the past, but he could still choose his future. With newfound resolve, Carlos vowed to make things right—no matter the cost.