The doors to the throne room exploded open like someone kicked them with dramatic flair and a fog machine on full blast.
Out walked a tall, sharp-featured man with glowing green eyes and long black-and-white hair that swayed as if it had its own soundtrack. He looked like he was going to drop a villain monologue and then release a cursed sword from his spine or something.
He stopped, pointed a finger, and said in a deep voice that sounded like it had an echo button built in:
"Brother."
Yeong-Su blinked.
"Uh… do you mean me?"
The edgy dragon nodded slowly, like he was in the middle of a shampoo commercial. "Yes. I am Vorthral. Your elder half-brother. The rightful heir to the throne."
Yeong-Su turned to Kaelira. "Is he serious or is this some kind of fantasy version of a hidden camera prank show?"
Kaelira sighed. "Yes, Your Majesty. That is indeed your brother. You were separated at birth. He was raised in the Frostfang Mountains. His life was… cold."
Haneul, who had made himself very comfortable sitting on a lava bench, called out, "WELL DUH, LOOK AT HIM. He's literally wearing an ice cape indoors. Someone buy this man a personality and a hoodie."
Jaemin added, "He looks like he moisturizes with sorrow and protein powder."
Yeong-Su tried to wave them off. "Not now, guys. I think he's about to challenge me to a fight or yell something ominous—"
"I CHALLENGE YOU TO A TRIAL OF FLAME!" Vorthral bellowed.
Yeong-Su sighed. "Called it."
Kaelira stepped forward, already holding a scroll (Where was she hiding these? No one knew). "Per ancient dragon law, such a challenge is valid. The Trial of Flame shall decide the rightful Dragon King."
"Does it have… rules?" Yeong-Su asked nervously.
"Yes. No outside interference. No weapons. No mercy."
Jaemin raised his hand. "Wait. Define outside interference. Like, can we scream helpful advice from the sideline? Or throw snacks?"
Kaelira paused. "Snacks are permitted. Encouragement is subjective."
Haneul whispered to Jaemin, "We're so bringing nachos."
---
Twenty Minutes Later: The Sacred Arena
Yeong-Su stood at the edge of a floating, flaming arena in the sky.
"WHY ARE WE FLOATING?!" he shouted into the abyss. "DOES NO ONE CARE ABOUT SAFETY STANDARDS IN THIS WORLD?!"
Jaemin and Haneul were sitting in very VIP-looking floating thrones that had magically adjusted themselves into recliners. There were floating trays next to them stacked with dragon-sized popcorn, lava chips, and glowing red soda labeled FIRE-FIZZ.
"This is sick!" Jaemin said, chugging soda. "I feel like we're watching a fantasy boxing match between Giga Chad and Drama Lizard."
"I give Yeong-Su three minutes before he accidentally sets his own pants on fire," Haneul muttered.
Back on the arena floor, Vorthral was dramatically summoning a giant icy spear out of thin air while glowing with frosty energy.
Yeong-Su, on the other hand, was still trying to figure out how to summon fire without burning his eyebrows off.
"Okay, think flames… think spicy thoughts… jalapeño… ghost pepper… EXAMS…"
FWOOSH!
He sneezed—and a giant fireball shot out of his mouth, nearly incinerating the floating announcer booth.
"DID I JUST UNLOCK SNEEZE-BREATH?!" he gasped.
Haneul cheered from the sideline, "Nice! Weaponized allergies! Go team Dragon Dork!"
Vorthral narrowed his glowing green eyes. "You mock the Trial?!"
"No, no, I mock myself," Yeong-Su said, dodging an incoming ice blade and slipping like he was on a banana peel. "There's a big difference!"
He stumbled forward, accidentally stepping on his own flaming robe, spun in a half-circle, and accidentally launched a tail-whip of fire that hit Vorthral square in the chest.
"UNGH!" Vorthral grunted, flying backwards into the arena wall.
The crowd gasped.
Yeong-Su blinked. "Wait… did I just win an exchange?"
Kaelira yelled from above, "That attack was… semi-intentional! It counts!"
Vorthral stood up, slightly singed. "You may be clumsy… but the Flame Crest responds to your presence."
Jaemin shouted from the stands, "It's because he's full of hot air!"
Haneul laughed, nearly choking on his popcorn. "Yeong-Su! Use your signature move—panic and flail wildly!"
Taking their advice way too seriously, Yeong-Su charged forward, tripped on an arena tile, barrel-rolled through the air, and screamed "AHHHHHHHHH!" while flailing.
In that moment of pure chaos, his magic exploded.
Fire roared around him in every direction like a supernova of spicy regret, creating a shockwave that sent Vorthral skidding across the arena in a dramatic slow-motion spin.
The flames died down.
Silence.
Even the lava stopped bubbling.
Yeong-Su stood in the center, blackened smoke rising from his shoulders, breathing hard.
Then he looked at his hands.
"…Did I win?"
Kaelira rose from her viewing platform. "The trial is complete. Vorthral has been defeated by the one true Crest-bearer."
Yeong-Su blinked.
Jaemin stood and clapped. "Ladies and gentlemen… that is the power of sheer, unfiltered dumb luck."
Haneul stood too. "Long live King Accident!"
Yeong-Su looked around, chest rising with pride. "Maybe I am the chosen one…"
Then a fireball hit him in the back of the head.
"OW! WHO THREW THAT?!"
It was a young dragon in the crowd. "Oops. Sorry. I sneezed."