Aldoria: Am I a hero...or not?

{{Battlefield – Aftermath}}

Kael stood in the eerie silence, his breaths ragged. The thick scent of blood filled his nostrils, the warmth of it still fresh on his skin. Beneath him lay the Shadowlord Bear, its massive form unmoving, torn apart in a grotesque display of power.

His hands trembled.

His siblings stood frozen a few feet away. Not in awe. Not in relief. But in fear.

Kyle, the ever-confident, ever-arrogant brother, took a hesitant step back. Garrett's grip on his weapon tightened, his knuckles white. Freya, fierce and unwavering in battle, was visibly shaken.

Kael swallowed hard.

"…What happened?" His voice was hoarse, unfamiliar to his own ears.

The three looked at each other. No one spoke at first. Then Freya, of all people, broke the silence.

"…Your eyes," she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

Kael blinked. "What?"

Freya hesitated, searching for the right words. "Your eyes… they were glowing." She clenched her fists. "Not aura. Not power. It was… rage. Pure, burning rage. Something that felt like it has been buried for decades."

Kyle and Garrett nodded stiffly, their gazes still wary.

Kael's chest tightened. He looked down at his bloodied hands again.

But the bear was dead. He was standing over it. And their reactions…

They thought he had done it on purpose.

A chilling realization crept over him.

They were afraid of him.

The ringing of the town bells shattered the silence, signaling victory. But Kael didn't feel victorious.

Something was wrong.

And he didn't know what.

{{Path to Valor Manor}}

The town was alive with celebration. Knights, exhausted and battered, trudged toward the manor for their debriefing. Cheers echoed from the townspeople, grateful for their survival.

Kael walked at the back of the group, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts.

Ahead, Garrett, Kyle, and Freya walked together without him. They had instinctively distanced themselves.

Kael clenched his fists, the fresh memory of their expressions stabbing at him.

A soft pattering of footsteps.

Selene.

She ran toward them, her eyes lighting up the moment she spotted Kael.

"Kael! Are you okay? You were amazing! I—"

She was cut off.

Kyle blocked her path, his expression hard.

Garrett placed a hand on her shoulder. "Selene, don't."

She frowned. "What? Why? What's wrong?"

Freya's lips pressed into a thin line. "…You didn't see what we saw."

Selene's gaze darted between them, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Kyle exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "He went berserk, Selene. His eyes were burning like a demon's, and he—" He hesitated. "…He killed it like it was nothing. No hesitation. No remorse."

Selene's eyes widened. She turned to Kael, who remained silent.

"…Kael?"

Kael didn't answer.

He didn't have an answer.

Instead, he turned away, walking ahead.

Alone.

Selene took a step forward, but Garrett gently held her back. "Let him go."

"But—"

Freya shook her head. "Just… give him space."

Selene bit her lip, watching Kael's retreating figure disappear into the town.

{{Valor Manor – Entrance}}

Kael reached the manor before anyone else.

Sylvia, one of the maids, stepped forward with a concerned look. "Young Master, you should drink some water and rest—"

Kael walked past her without a word.

Sylvia frowned, watching him go. "Young Master?"

He ignored her.

His mind was too loud.

{{Valor Manor – Kael's Room}}

Kael shut the door behind him, leaning against it. His heart pounded.

His body was exhausted, but his mind refused to settle.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling beneath his skin. He needed answers.

Silence.

Kael's brows furrowed. "System?"

A beat.

Then.

[…I don't know.]

Kael stiffened.

[Whatever happened out there… it wasn't something I could analyze. One moment, your power was stable. The next, it was like an explosion of pure rage. I've never felt something like that before.]

Kael's stomach twisted.

"…Then what was it?"

[I don't know,] the System repeated. [But it wasn't normal. It wasn't just aura. It was… something else.]

Kael exhaled sharply, his hands gripping his knees.

"…Could it be connected to the dreams?"

The dreams.

Visions of war. Carnage. A battlefield drenched in blood. Bodies piled high. The feeling of overwhelming rage and grief.

And always.

Always the same voice.

"You promised... never to let them be hurt."

Kael shut his eyes.

The voice… it felt so familiar. But he couldn't place it.

A knock on the door.

Kael didn't answer.

The knocking stopped.

Then, a soft voice.

"…Kael?"

Selene.

Kael hesitated.

"…Are you okay?"

He wanted to answer.

He wanted to tell her he was fine. That everything was okay.

But it wasn't.

And he didn't know how to lie to Selene.

Silence stretched between them.

Then, softly...

"…I'm always here, okay?"

Kael's throat tightened.

Footsteps.

She left.

Kael exhaled, rubbing his face.

He didn't know.

But he needed to find out.

Before it was too late.

Before he lost himself completely.