Serika inhaled deeply. "The person you refer to as 'old man,'" she began slowly, "is none other than Rykar Vael."
Her eyes dropped to her hands for the briefest of moments, then lifted again with renewed resolve.
"The Crimson Hammer of Vulkaris. My master… and my beloved father."
A heavy silence fell.
Even the wind stilled.
Quinlan didn't move, but his fingers subtly curled around the hilt of his weapon again, almost reflexively. His gaze didn't falter, but something flickered in his eyes. That name—Vael. Of course. It should have been obvious.
Feng blinked twice. "Wait… That bastard who betrayed us was your dad?!"
Serika's expression trembled. It was easy to tell for Quinlan that she didn't appreciate the way in which Feng talked about the old man, but at the same time, the Fire Sovereign wished to retain their current goodwill. "… I don't know what went down between you three. But, yes, I strongly believe that we're talking about the same person."
