The ruins were still.
Only moments ago, the sky itself had been tearing apart, screaming with dark energy. Now, all that remained was silence and drifting smoke. The air was heavy, thick with ash and disbelief.
A brief memory lingered in everyone's mind, the impossible moment when a single figure had collided with the ray of destruction, shattering it completely. That alone felt unreal.
The smoke began to thin.
Slowly, a silhouette formed within it.
A human figure stood at the center of the broken ground. His clothes were torn, his skin badly burned, dark marks running across his arms, chest, and face. The damage was severe, far beyond what a normal human body should endure.
And yet… he stood straight.
Unmoving. Unshaken.
As the smoke cleared further, shock rippled through the group.
Lila froze.
Her body stiffened as if her mind had suddenly stopped working. Her breath caught in her throat. Something about the figure pulled at her chest, sharp and painful, even before she fully understood why.
Questions flooded her thoughts all at once.
Why does he look like that?
Why does he feel so familiar?
Why does my heart hurt?
One by one, others reacted.
Adrian's eyes widened.
Drakar clenched his jaw.
Doran frowned deeply.
Sera's lips parted, unable to speak.
They all felt it.
Adrian finally broke the silence, his voice uncertain. "It… it isn't who I think it is… right?"
Caelus looked at them carefully, sensing the shift in the air. "Is that someone you know?"
Lila swallowed hard. "I don't know… I don't think so…"
Her voice trembled. "But… he looks so familiar."
Caelus said nothing more. He simply watched, waiting for the smoke to disappear completely.
The figure slowly turned his head.
His face was burned, skin cracked and blackened in places, yet his eyes were clear. They locked onto Lila.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop.
He spoke.
"I'm sorry."
The words were quiet. Heavy. Filled with pain.
Lila's legs gave out.
She dropped to her knees, her mind going blank. Everything inside her collapsed at once. Adrian rushed forward and caught her before she could fall fully, holding her as she shook.
Kalix stepped closer and placed a firm hand on Lila's shoulder.
"Yes," he said softly. "It is the person you think he is."
Lila looked up at him, tears already forming.
"Why is he here?" she stuttered. "Do you know him?"
She grabbed her hair, panic taking over. "Just… what is going on?"
Alex turned sharply toward Kalix, his expression demanding answers.
Kalix took a breath. "He is Lila's dad."
Silence slammed into the group.
Lucien was the first to speak, disbelief clear in his tone. "Someone who can stop an attack like that can't be normal. And he's still alive… Who exactly is he?"
Riya answered calmly. "You're right. He is no ordinary person." She paused. "To be precise… you all already know who he is."
No one spoke after that.
Lila slowly stood up, her hands trembling. "Dad…" she called out. "Zora."
The man did not turn.
"Dad," she continued, louder now. "Why are you here?"
Still no response.
"Answer me!" she cried. "How do you know these people?" Her voice cracked. "Tell me who you are… Are you really my dad?"
The question pierced straight through Zora's heart.
Before he could respond, another presence descended from above and landed beside him.
"Yes," a voice said. "He is your dad."
It was Arachna.
She stood tall, a spiderkind, her dark skin faintly glowing. Her face was human, framed by dark purple hair. Small fangs showed when she spoke, and faint fur covered parts of her body. Four additional arms rested folded behind her back, unmoving.
She looked at Lila gently.
"Lila," Arachna said softly, "please hear me out. The truth is… he isn't your biological father." She held up a hand before Lila could react. "But that does not mean he isn't your dad."
The words shattered Lila.
"No!" she cried, shaking her head. "Who are you?" "What are you saying?""Go away!"
Arachna stepped forward slowly. "He found you," she continued, "at the entrance of a forest. He was lost, searching for a reason to live. And then… he found you."
Lila screamed, tears spilling freely. "Stay away from me! What do you know?!"
Arachna gently pulled her into a hug, patting her hair. Lila stood frozen, broken and confused, unable to push her away.
Vorath watched the scene unfold in silence.
Then he laughed.
"How interesting," he said. "What a turn of events." His eyes shifted to Zora. "You there… just who are you? You're not human, are you?"
Zora finally spoke, his voice low and serious. "Are you the one who tried to hurt my daughter?"
Lila stopped crying and looked at him.
Zora continued, pain and anger mixing in his tone. "Making her cry is the one thing I never wanted to do… and yet I did." He clenched his fists. "I wanted to protect her. I was scared when she chose the path of an adventurer… but I let her chase her dreams."
His voice hardened. "But that does not mean I cannot protect her." "Anyone who hurts her will repent through me."
Vorath raised a hand. "Calm down. I had no intention of killing anyone."
"You liar!" Doran shouted. "You fired that attack and say you didn't want to kill us?!"
Zora glared at Vorath.
Vorath smiled. "I am not lying. I was only doing what I was told."
He looked straight at Zora. "Zalthar."
Zora and Arachna froze.
Vorath laughed softly. "Now do you understand? He was right all along. His plan succeeded."
He sighed. "Even I was used."
Zora spoke sharply. "What are you saying? How do you know him?"
Vorath chuckled. "This was no coincidence. You being here. Your daughter being here. The jewel being here."
His eyes widened slightly. "You are Zortheus… the Uncrowned King of the Dungeons. I am right, ain't I"
Shock crushed the group.
Especially Lila.
Zora said nothing.
Vorath continued. "It was all his plan. To bring you out. To confirm you were alive."
"I was told to plant the jewel here. To leak its location. Was told to destroy everything."
He shook his head. "And now I understand why."
He opened a dark portal. "Well… that was fun. I know I can't defeat you."
And he disappeared.
The ruins were left in silence.
Broken not by battle, but by truth.
Lila stepped forward. "Please," she said quietly.
"Tell me the truth."
Arachna nodded. "You deserve it."
She looked at everyone. "But first… let's leave this place."
As they walked away from the Ruins of Never-ending Dreams, the truth behind Zortheus, Zora, and the Uncrowned King waited to be revealed.