The room was dark—pitch black, like the bottom of a forgotten well. Velian sat shackled to a wooden chair in the center, the sound of dripping water echoing somewhere beyond the blackness.
He couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Could barely breathe.
But then—footsteps.
Soft. Deliberate. Growing louder.
From the shadows stepped someone… him.
But not him.
His mirror. His shadow. His darker self.
This other Velian had chains around his neck, but he dragged them like medals. His smile stretched unnaturally wide, a crooked grin that split his face in two.
Velian's eyes widened. "Who are you?"
The chained figure chuckled, voice like broken glass. "Isn't it obvious? I'm you. You're me."
Velian shook his head violently. "No… No, I'm not a killer!"
He looked away, refusing to meet that twisted reflection.
But the other Velian moved closer, silently. Their backs touched, but their heads faced opposite ways.
The darkness whispered around them, feeding on the silence.
"We're Velian," the voice whispered again.
And for a moment… half of Velian's face smiled along with him.
"No…" he gasped. "This isn't me."
---
Reality. Morning light.
Velian jolted upright, gasping. His body trembled, soaked in sweat—but he wasn't in chains anymore. He looked around, disoriented.
Clean sheets.
A soft bed.
Fresh clothes.
A breeze carried the smell of something… warm. Cooking.
He rose from the bed slowly, rubbing his eyes. The room was simple—plain wooden walls, a dusty window—but compared to his past? It felt like a palace.
He walked toward the window. Sunlight poured in, soft and golden.
He raised his hand up, trying to grasp the light.
"Is this… freedom?" he whispered.
But then—Bruce's bloodied smile flashed before his eyes.
Velian lowered his hand. "I wonder what kind of peace you found, Bruce…"
---
Kitchen.
Velian stepped out into the hallway, walking quietly. The smell of stew grew stronger. He turned a corner and saw Ban at the stove, humming lightly.
"You're up," Ban said without turning. "Sit. Food's ready."
Velian said nothing. He sat quietly at the table as Ban placed plates before him.
"Eat up," Ban said, smiling. "You've been starving in that hellhole."
Velian hesitated. "I'm not hungry."
His stomach growled in betrayal.
Ban laughed. "Seems your stomach disagrees."
Velian reluctantly picked up his spoon and ate. He didn't speak. Didn't lift his eyes.
When the meal ended, he got up and walked to the sink.
"I can wash—"
Ban raised a hand. "I've got it."
Silence.
Then, Ban said gently, "The other kids are playing outside. You should join them. The breeze is nice today."
Velian stood still, staring at the floor. "I think… it's better if I stay locked in here."
Ban paused.
Then he stepped forward, kneeling next to the boy.
"You've been in cages for so long… I get it. The open sky feels strange now."
His voice was soft—like a breeze through shattered glass.
"But a bird doesn't heal by staying in a box. It heals by flying again—one wingbeat at a time."
Velian didn't speak, but his fingers twitched.
Ban placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to trust the world all at once. Just give it a chance. Let it prove not everyone wants to hurt you."
Then he added, quieter:
"Freedom isn't just the absence of chains… It's when you finally believe you deserve to be free."
He stood and walked toward the door.
"Come out when you're ready," he said with a grin.
"I'll be waiting."
---
Later.
The door creaked open.
Velian peeked out, then stepped into the fading sunlight. Ban was sitting under a tree, watching the sunset.
Velian walked slowly toward him.
Ban didn't turn. "Took you long enough."
Velian stopped, then sat beside him in silence.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ban asked.
Velian nodded. "I always wanted to see this… with Bruce."
He clenched his fist.
Ban noticed. He gently touched Velian's hand—and Velian slowly loosened it.
"Can I ask you something?" Velian said.
"Anything," Ban replied.
"…Why did you adopt me?" Velian asked.
Ban raised a brow. "That's what's been bothering you?"
Velian looked down. "You saw what I did… I killed them. Bruce died because of me. I'm a monster. Yet, you—"
Ban ruffled his hair gently.
"Who gave you that title—'monster'?" Ban asked softly.
"Even if that's what they called you… I only see an eleven-year-old boy."
Velian blinked, caught off guard.
"I adopted you because I felt responsible," Ban said. "I call myself a hero, but I failed to stop that place before it hurt you."
His voice cracked. "I'm sorry, Velian. Truly."
He bowed his head. "Please… forgive me."
Velian shook his head. "No, don't. You're the only one who looked at me… and didn't see a monster. You took the role of a father, knowing everything I'd done. That alone…"
He stopped. His throat tightened.
Ban smiled warmly, his eyes misty. He still has emotions, he thought. Even after everything…
---
Velian's smile faded.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up at Ban. "You said you're a hero."
Ban blinked, caught off guard. "Surprisingly, yes." He chuckled lightly.
But Velian's voice didn't carry the same lightness.
"Then tell me… what is a hero?"
Ban's face turned serious.
Velian continued, voice quiet but sharp,
"The people in my village—guards, adventurers, even elders—they called themselves heroes of justice. Protectors. But their actions… weren't heroic. Not to me. Not to anyone who was on the other side of their cruelty."
He looked Ban dead in the eyes.
"But you speak of heroism like it means something different. So I'm asking you… What is a hero? What is a villain? What separates one from the other? Is it just who tells the story? Those who call themselves heroes while doing despicable things—are they still heroes… or just villains wearing a brighter color?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Tell me... what defines the moral masks the world clings to? One praised, the other feared— yet both soaked in blood."
Silence.
Ban stared at the setting sun.
"That's a heavy question… for someone your age," he said softly. "But I'll answer you."
He leaned forward, resting on his knees.
"A hero is not a title. It's a choice."
He looked at Velian.
"A hero walks into darkness—knowing it might swallow them—still choosing to protect the light."
Velian nodded slowly. "And a villain?"
"A villain makes the world smaller," Ban said. "They kill, lie, or control just to feel big."
He paused.
"And sometimes… they start as people like you. Hurt. Angry. Abandoned."
Velian flinched.
"But pain doesn't justify cruelty. Not from heroes. Not from villains."
Ban stood. "Both wear armor. Both smile. What separates them is the lives they choose to protect—or destroy."
Velian whispered, "…Then those people who hurt me—they weren't heroes."
Ban looked back at him. "No. They weren't. I'm sorry they made you believe they were."
He stepped toward the house, then paused.
"One more thing…"
"You get to decide who you'll become. Hero. Villain. Or something the world hasn't seen yet. Just make sure—when others look at you—they see hope, not fear."
---
Velian was quiet.
Then he asked, "But I've killed people. Does that make me a villain?"
Ban looked back at him.
"No," he said with a calm smile. "It makes you human."
Velian glanced at his hands. "Do you think… I can be a hero?"
Ban didn't hesitate. "Everyone can be a hero. All it takes… is a choice."
He paused, then smirked.
"And if you do want to be one, you're in luck. Next week is the Title Ceremony."
Velian blinked. "What's that?"
"A tradition," Ban said. "Kids your age are given hero titles—Seeker, Mage, Talker… everyone gets one."
Velian smiled slightly. "Which one are you?"
"Seeker," Ban said proudly.
Velian nodded. "I see."
Ban stood and ruffled his hair again.
"Come on. It's getting dark. You have to get ready for your title."
Velian followed behind him, whispering to himself:
"I can be a hero…"
---
One week later.
Peace.
Laughter.
Children ran through soft snow, throwing snowballs and chasing one another. Velian was among them now. Smiling. Playing. Alive.
He talked to Ban every day. He played with the other kids. He laughed.
It was the start of a new life.
But peace… doesn't last.
---
The snow turned red.
Velian stood alone, his hands trembling—dripping with blood.
His knees gave way, and he dropped beside a lifeless body.
Ban's body.
Velian stared down at his blood-soaked hands. His breath caught.
"…Dad?" he whispered.
The cold wind howled through the trees.
"Old man!!"
He screamed.
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