The students who had tormented Ruby tried to slink away, their faces pale with fear. But before they could escape, Zaryth's voice rang out, sharp and cold like the bite of winter.
"You pests…" he hissed, his glowing purple eyes burning with fury. "You think you can go against the Silverlight family? Let me remind you—we can ruin your families in a matter of seconds. Just like before."
The venom in his voice froze everyone in place. Some of the students started trembling, realizing they had overstepped in a way they never imagined possible. They had messed with a Silverlight, and now there was no way out.
The silence weighed heavily on the field as Zaryth knelt before Ruby. A faint light surrounded his hands, and with a calm precision, he healed the bruises and wounds on her body. In mere moments, it was as if nothing had ever happened to her.
Ruby sniffled, gazing up at her brother with tearful eyes. Zaryth gave her a warm, reassuring smile.
"Rest now," he said softly. He kissed her gently on the forehead, then turned to Nico. "Both of you need to rest. Go now." He placed a kiss on Nico's forehead too, brushing his hair affectionately.
Nico and Ruby nodded, feeling the comfort and strength in his presence. With lingering glances back at him, they slowly walked away, leaving the field behind.
But Zaryth knew it wasn't over.
The tension in the air thickened when the academy's headmaster, a stern teacher, and the discipline leader arrived on the scene. The crowd parted as they strode toward Zaryth, their faces a mixture of worry, authority, and anger. Mavuika was among them, her crimson eyes gleaming with a hint of relief—and something more—as she saw Zaryth standing there.
The headmaster's voice was sharp. "What do you think you're doing, Zaryth Silverlight?"
Zaryth turned to face them slowly, his expression cold and calculating. He stood tall, shoulders relaxed, as if nothing about the confrontation concerned him. But his eyes held a quiet fury, and the aura around him made even the teachers hesitate.
Mavuika lingered behind the others, her gaze fixed on Zaryth. A subtle smile tugged at her lips—something between admiration and amusement. She'd seen this side of him before, and it stirred something within her.
"Getting into fights your first day back? Typical." She folded her arms, giving him a teasing smirk. "But you've gotten even more reckless. I like it."
Zaryth shot her a glance, the corner of his mouth quirking into a sly grin. "Careful, Mavuika. If you keep flirting with me like that, people might get the wrong idea."
Her smirk deepened. "And if I am flirting?" she whispered, low enough that only he could hear.
Zaryth chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on hers for a second too long. "You're going to be the death of me," he muttered under his breath, but his tone was playful.
Before Mavuika could reply, the headmaster cleared his throat, clearly irritated. "Zaryth, this behavior is unacceptable! We cannot have—"
Zaryth's calm demeanor shattered in an instant. His eyes darkened, and his voice dropped to an icy, dangerous tone.
"Unacceptable?" he repeated, taking a step forward. The aura around him pulsed with restrained anger, and the teachers instinctively flinched. "What's truly unacceptable is how you allowed my siblings to be treated like trash in your academy."
The headmaster opened his mouth to argue, but Zaryth's gaze pinned him in place.
"This is supposed to be a place where students are safe and protected. But instead, you let scum humiliate and abuse my sister." His voice was low but filled with an unmistakable threat. "Tell me, Headmaster—if this is how you manage your school, do you think your job is still safe?"
The teacher beside the headmaster paled, recognizing the weight behind Zaryth's words. They knew the power and influence of the Silverlight family.
"Zaryth, we—" the discipline leader began, but Zaryth cut him off.
"You will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again." His tone was still calm, but the menace in his voice was impossible to miss. "If I find out that you've failed my siblings again, I promise you… your academy will cease to exist."
The headmaster swallowed hard, unable to meet Zaryth's gaze.
Mavuika watched the entire exchange with a mixture of admiration and amusement. "You really haven't changed at all," she said with a chuckle as the headmaster and teachers reluctantly backed off, too scared to push any further.
"Not true." Zaryth tilted his head slightly toward her, a playful glint in his eyes. "I'm worse now."
Mavuika grinned, stepping closer until she was right in front of him. "So, what's your next move, Mr. Silverlight?" she asked, her voice light but laced with curiosity.
Zaryth shrugged, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Why? Worried about me again?"
Mavuika rolled her eyes. "Someone has to be, considering how reckless you are." She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "Just try not to die, okay? It'd be a shame."
Zaryth chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."
There was a moment of silence between them—a brief, unspoken connection that lingered before Zaryth stepped back.
Turning back to the teachers and headmaster, Zaryth's smile faded, replaced by the same cold, distant expression.
"This is your only warning," he said quietly. "Touch my family again, and I'll destroy everything you care about."
The teachers nodded hastily, avoiding his gaze. Even the headmaster seemed at a loss for words, his authority utterly shattered by Zaryth's presence.
With that, Zaryth turned on his heel and walked away, his silver hair catching the light as it swayed behind him. Mavuika watched him go, biting her lip to suppress a grin.
"You really are trouble," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.
Zaryth left the field with a calmness that belied the storm he'd just unleashed. For the first time in a long while, he felt truly in control—like the version of himself he'd been chasing all this time.
And as the academy grounds fell silent behind him, one thought echoed in his mind:
"They'll never touch my family again."
Zaryth strode through the academy grounds, his mind at ease after ensuring Nico and Ruby were safe. The cool morning breeze swept through his silver hair, brushing it against his face. Everything seemed to be settling—until a familiar, arrogant voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Well, well... look who's back."
Zaryth glanced sideways to see Sirus, standing with his arms crossed, a smug, cold smile on his lips. A small crowd of students began to gather, whispering among themselves.
"So, the weak king returns," Sirus said mockingly. His piercing gaze held the same contempt as it did one year ago. "What's the matter, Zaryth? Couldn't even defeat a training dummy last time. Thought a little vacation would change that?"
The words were sharp, meant to provoke. Gasps rippled through the watching students, and the murmur of amusement spread among the crowd. Some laughed quietly, enjoying the tension between the two boys.
"Is he still weak?"
"He's just trying to act tough."
"Sirus will crush him again."
Zaryth remained still, his expression unreadable. The weight of the old humiliation from a year ago settled in the air like a thick fog, hanging over the students' memories. Nico stood beside him, fists clenched, ready to defend his brother, but Zaryth raised a hand, signaling him to stay calm.
Sirus's younger brother grinned from the crowd, eager to join the mockery. "Look at him! No matter what he does, he'll never be more than a coward who ran away."
The insult struck deep, but Zaryth's gaze remained steady. He tilted his head slightly, as if the comment was beneath him, his bright purple eyes cold and piercing.
Sirus stepped closer, sneering. "You disappeared for a whole year, and now you're back, thinking you're someone special?" He leaned in, his voice low and condescending. "You're still just the same weakling you always were."
The crowd watched, waiting for Zaryth to snap, but instead, he chuckled softly. It wasn't a forced laugh or one of embarrassment—it was genuine, cold, and unnerving. A low, dangerous sound that sent shivers through those watching.
Zaryth's lips curled into a faint smile. "Still barking the same old nonsense, I see." He took a step forward, and for the first time, Sirus's confident smirk faltered—just for a split second.
"Do you think I came back the same as I was before?" Zaryth whispered, his tone calm but carrying an unmistakable edge. There was no anger in his voice—just certainty. "You really think someone like you could even stand in my way now?"
The students fell silent, their amusement fading as the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Something about Zaryth was... different. This wasn't the same boy they had mocked a year ago. He exuded quiet power, the kind that didn't need to be proven with words.
Sirus's grin wavered, but he tried to regain his composure. "You talk big," he sneered, masking his unease. "Let's see if you can back it up."
Zaryth gave a small, dismissive laugh, brushing his bangs from his eyes. "You're not worth my time."
The sheer arrogance in Zaryth's words stunned the crowd. The boy they once saw as weak now stood there, effortlessly untouchable. It was as if he were a different person entirely—a calm storm waiting to be unleashed.
Zaryth leaned in slightly, his voice a quiet murmur only Sirus could hear. "Pray I stay bored, Sirus. Because the moment I'm not…" His purple eyes glinted dangerously. "You'll wish I never came back."
Sirus clenched his fists, anger bubbling just beneath the surface, but he couldn't bring himself to reply. Something in Zaryth's gaze told him this wasn't a fight he would win.
Without another word, Zaryth turned his back on Sirus and the stunned crowd. His long silver hair glinted under the sunlight, swaying gently as he walked away with an air of unshakable confidence.
Nico, still standing by his side, looked up at him with awe and admiration. "That was... amazing," Nico whispered, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.
Zaryth gave him a warm smile. "Told you I'd be a brother you could admire, didn't I?"
Together, the brothers left the gathering students behind, and as they disappeared from sight, Sirus stood frozen, fists trembling with rage and frustration.
And as Zaryth walked through the academy's halls, a faint smile lingered on his lips. He knew now that he wasn't the same boy who ran away a year ago. He had returned stronger—strong enough to protect the ones he loved.
The quiet thought settled in his mind as he looked down at his brother walking beside him.
"This time, things will be different."