The throne room of Black Iron Headquarters was silent.
Not the peaceful kind of silence, but the kind that settled over a place where fear had long ago replaced comfort.
Stone pillars stretched toward the ceiling, disappearing into darkness. Torches burned along the walls, their flames swaying gently and throwing restless shadows across the polished floor. Every footstep echoed through the enormous chamber before fading into nothing.
The massive doors opened.
Subastian stepped inside.
Rows of Black Iron agents immediately dropped to one knee, lowering their heads in perfect unison.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
His dark armor reflected the flickering torchlight as he walked toward the center of the chamber. Every movement was calm and measured, carrying the quiet confidence of someone who had never needed to raise his voice to command respect.
Behind a small stone pedestal stood Thomas.
His hands rested behind his back, posture straight despite the thoughts weighing on his mind.
He waited.
Only when Subastian stopped several feet away did the silence finally break.
"You said you wanted to speak, didn't you?"
His voice was flat, almost emotionless.
Thomas swallowed before answering.
"Sir... Ishimo told me something about my brother."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Subastian's mouth.
"Of course he did."
He looked away for a moment, almost amused.
"He's right."
Thomas blinked.
"Your brother is alive."
The words hung in the air.
"I've been lying to you all this time... but it was all for a reason."
Thomas stared at him.
For several long seconds, he couldn't find his voice.
His heart pounded against his ribs.
The room suddenly felt much colder.
"...Sorry for asking questions," Thomas finally said, forcing the words out. "But... what reason is that?"
Something dark flashed across his eyes.
A killing intent so fierce that even the nearby guards instinctively tensed.
Subastian noticed.
He simply smiled.
"I know you're angry."
He took another step closer.
"But what will that change?"
Thomas remained silent.
"I took you in."
"I raised you."
"Have you no manners? Why would you look at me like that?"
Thomas lowered his head.
The anger didn't disappear.
He buried it.
"Sorry, sir."
"I just... really want to know."
Subastian watched him for another moment before giving a slow nod.
"In that case..."
"I suppose you're finally ready."
Thomas frowned.
"Ready for what?"
A small pause followed.
"You forgot to say 'sir.'"
Another pause.
"But this once..."
"I'll overlook it."
Thomas waited.
His heartbeat grew louder.
"The truth is..."
Subastian's crimson eyes met his.
"...Tomora is your younger brother."
Everything stopped.
The torches.
The room.
The sound of breathing.
Thomas felt as though the floor had vanished beneath him.
"...What?"
His voice barely escaped.
"Tomora..."
"The one responsible for killing over a hundred agents?"
He shook his head.
"No..."
"There's no way."
"How is that possible... sir?"
Subastian stepped forward until they were only an arm's length apart.
He placed a hand on Thomas's shoulder.
"You see now why I refused to tell you."
"I could have kept this secret forever."
"Even after you asked."
Thomas's breathing grew uneven.
His hands trembled.
"Then..."
His voice cracked.
"...why tell me?"
Subastian's smile faded.
"Because you're ready."
"But not because of your brother."
Thomas looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"There is another reason."
"Another reason why I chose to raise you myself."
Confusion replaced the shock.
Thomas searched the older man's face for answers.
"What are you talking about?"
Subastian folded his hands behind his back.
"Your family."
A strange feeling settled deep inside Thomas's chest.
"Do you remember your first mission?"
"When you were twelve."
"You were sent alongside Crista and Tod."
The memories returned immediately.
A rainy night.
A lonely farmhouse.
A frightened woman.
A man standing in front of her with nothing but a farming tool in his shaking hands.
Thomas remembered the smell of wet earth.
The rain running down his face.
The orders.
Eliminate the targets.
He remembered his blade.
He remembered the blood.
He remembered walking away without looking back.
"I remember."
His voice sounded distant.
"It was my first mission."
"We were ordered to eliminate a married couple who failed to attend the Observation Rock inspection."
He looked back at Subastian.
"What about it?"
Subastian smiled.
A cold smile.
"Those people..."
"...were your parents."
Thomas froze.
His pupils shrank.
The memories returned all at once.
The woman crying.
The man refusing to kneel.
Their faces.
Their voices.
The desperate look in their eyes.
His sword.
His own hands.
"No..."
His breathing became ragged.
"No..."
His knees weakened.
His entire body shook.
"...You're lying."
He grabbed Subastian by the collar and slammed him against one of the stone pillars.
His fingers tightened around his neck.
"TELL ME YOU'RE LYING!"
His voice echoed through the throne room.
"You bastard..."
"...Please..."
His strength disappeared.
"...Tell me you're lying."
Tears rolled freely down his face.
Subastian looked at him quietly.
"I wish I were."
His voice remained calm.
"But remember..."
"It wasn't me who sent you on that mission."
"I wasn't the leader back then."
Thomas slowly released him.
His arms fell to his sides.
He staggered backward before collapsing onto his knees.
His hands pressed against the floor.
His shoulders trembled.
"I..."
His voice broke.
"I killed them..."
"I killed..."
"My parents..."
A painful silence filled the chamber.
Subastian crouched beside him.
"Your brother later killed Crista."
Thomas shut his eyes tightly.
"I know the two of you cared for each other."
"Even though relationships between agents were forbidden..."
"I allowed it."
Thomas laughed.
A hollow, broken laugh.
"I deserve it."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I killed his parents..."
"...and mine."
"What kind of person does that?"
Subastian rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself."
"You were a child."
"You didn't know."
Thomas suddenly shoved the hand away.
His eyes were red.
His tears had stopped.
Only anger remained.
"Cut the crap."
"What do you really want from me?"
"Why did you raise me?"
Subastian stood.
For the first time since entering the throne room, his expression became serious.
"Your family..."
"...has a connection to the original owner of the Darkness Vein."
Thomas slowly looked up.
"...What?"
"Yes."
Subastian walked toward the throne at the far end of the chamber.
"The vein extracted from your great-grandmother..."
"...was a Darkness Vein."
He placed both hands on the throne.
With a deep grinding sound, the massive seat slid aside.
Beneath it lay a narrow stone staircase descending into darkness.
Cold air drifted upward.
Thomas stared into the abyss below.
Subastian glanced back over his shoulder.
"I raised you..."
"...because you're the only one capable of surviving what lies beneath."
He started down the staircase.
After a few steps, he stopped.
Without turning around, he spoke one final sentence.
"Are you coming?"