Chapter 12: The Price of a Brother's Love
The silence in the room was heavy, broken only by the distant hum of the city. Go sat at the edge of the bed, his face uncharacteristically grim. He looked at Ren, whose left side of the face was a mask of white gauze.
"Ren," Go began, his voice barely a whisper. "There's no easy way to say this. The doctors... they did what they could. But the wood shards went too deep. Your left eye... it's gone, Ren. You're permanently blind on that side."
The world seemed to stop for a moment. Hana, who was standing by the window, let out a choked sob, her hands flying to her mouth. "No... no, that can't be true! It's my fault! If I hadn't..."
Ren didn't move. He sat there, staring at the wall with his one remaining eye. He felt a strange hollowness where his eye used to be, a pulsing ache that reminded him of the chair's impact.
"It's okay, Hana," Ren said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Don't cry. I still have one good eye left, don't I? I can still see you. That's all that matters."
"But Ren!" Hana rushed to his side, grabbing his hand. "You can't live like that. Go! Please! You're an Elite. Can't you find someone? A donor? A Vitalist? Take my eye! Give it to him!"
Go looked at her with a mixture of pity and respect. "Hana, an eye transplant is high-level alchemy. It's possible, but it's dangerous for both of you."
"I don't care!" Hana shouted, tears streaming down her face. "He lost his sight saving me. I'll give him both my eyes if I have to!"
Ren reached out, his fingers trembling as he squeezed Hana's hand firmly. "No. Absolutely not. I won't let you mutilate yourself for me. I am the older brother; it's my job to take the hits. I'm fine, Hana. We don't need new eyes. We just need to survive."
Go sighed, leaning back. "He's right, Hana. A forced transplant would only weaken you both before the next dose of the serum. Ren is choosing to carry this scar. Let him."
The Frozen Throne: The Royal Palace
Miles away, in a hall made of shimmering obsidian and eternal ice, King Ziro sat upon his throne. His long, pale yellow hair fell over his shoulders like spun gold, and his eyes—vibrant, piercing yellow—glowed with an unnatural intensity.
The spy from the alleyway knelt before the dais, his head bowed so low it touched the cold floor.
"My King," the man whispered. "I have found the Prince. He is in the Tier 2 sector. But... he is not alone."
Ziro leaned forward, his golden eyes narrowing. "Speak."
"He is protecting two Forsaken. A boy and a girl. They are the ones who escaped the purge in the valley. Ren and Hana... they are alive."
The King's hand clenched the armrest of his throne, the ice cracking under his grip. A cold, terrifying smile spread across his face.
"My siblings," Ziro hissed, his voice echoing through the empty hall. "Alive? My dear father and mother failed to die properly, and now my brother and sister think they can hide in my own city? And my own son... Enoki... he is shielding them?"
"What are your orders, My King? Should we send the Sentinels?"
"No," Ziro said, standing up. His yellow eyes flashed with a cruel brilliance. "If the public finds out my own bloodline is rotting in the streets as 'Forsaken,' it will weaken the crown. No one must know who they are. Keep a watch on them. If Ren shows any sign of awakening his true Vane... kill him. But the girl... keep her alive for now. I want to see how long they can survive in the dark."