Chapter 11- The Truth

                                    

                                          
( guys it will be a short chapter )
Ray wiped his hands on a kitchen towel as the sound of the front door opening echoed through the house. The familiar chaos of his brothers returning filled the air—Blaze's loud complaints about school, Taufan laughing at some joke, and Duri humming a tune as he stepped inside.
"Welcome back," Ray greeted casually, standing by the kitchen doorway. "Dinner's ready. I cleaned the living room, did the laundry, and sorted the attic like Gempa asked. You're welcome."
Gempa froze mid-step, his usually calm demeanor faltering as guilt crept into his expression. "Ray... you didn't have to do all that by yourself. I—I could've—"
"It's fine," Ray cut him off, his tone clipped but steady. "I didn't mind." He moved to set the table, avoiding their eyes, especially Hali's.
The brothers exchanged glances, sensing the unspoken tension lingering between Ray and Hali. Hali shifted uncomfortably, guilt weighing heavily on his chest. He had planned to talk to Ray at school but decided to give him space instead. Now, seeing Ray like this—detached yet diligent—it stung more than he expected.
As they sat for dinner, the conversation was stilted. Blaze cracked a joke, trying to lighten the mood, but it fell flat. Ray stayed silent, his gaze focused on his plate.
Just as they began eating, a sudden, loud thud echoed from upstairs. Everyone froze. The noise was followed by the sound of something shattering.
"What was that?" Duri whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
Ray's face turned pale. "I didn't leave anything heavy upstairs..." he murmured, standing abruptly.
The brothers followed as Ray raced to the staircase. They reached the top to find Ray's bedroom door ajar. Inside, the room was in disarray, as if someone had torn through it. On the wall, scrawled in red ink—or was it blood?—were the words:
"You can't hide forever, Solar."
The room fell into a stunned silence, the words on the wall casting a heavy shadow over the brothers. Ray stood frozen in the doorway, his heart pounding as he read the chilling message. His breath hitched, and his mind raced with panic and denial.
"Ray?" Gempa's voice was soft, filled with concern as he stepped forward, but Ray didn't respond.
Blaze was the first to break the silence, his fiery temper flaring. "What the hell is this? Who did this to your room?" He spun around, looking for answers that weren't there.
Duri's hands trembled as he clutched Ray's arm. "Ray... why does it say that? What does it mean?" His green eyes searched his brother's face, desperate for an explanation.
Ray swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I don't... I don't know," he whispered, though his voice betrayed his fear. He took a shaky step inside, his fingers brushing against the torn pages of his diary scattered across the floor. His secret had been exposed.
Hali pushed past the others, his sharp gaze locking onto the message. "Solar?" he muttered, the name sparking a memory deep in his mind. He turned to Ray, his expression a mix of confusion and anger. "What aren't you telling us?"
"I don't know anything!" Ray snapped, his voice cracking as he clutched his head. "I don't know who did this!" But the trembling in his voice made it clear he wasn't being completely honest.
Ais, silent until now, spoke in his usual calm tone, though his eyes narrowed. "This isn't random. Whoever did this knows something about you, Ray."
Before anyone could respond, the sound of glass shattering downstairs sent a jolt of fear through them. Blaze darted to the hallway. "Stay here," he ordered, but Hali was already moving.
Ray clenched his fists, his voice trembling as he muttered, "No... they're here."
Gempa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Who's here, Ray?"
Ray's gaze darkened as he whispered, "The ones who want Solar."
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The room was heavy with tension as Ray sat down, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. His silver eyes darted to each of his brothers, his lips parting hesitantly. "There's something I need to tell you... about someone," he started, his voice quiet but resolute.
Everyone leaned in slightly, their curiosity piqued despite the unease lingering in the air.
"There was... a boy," Ray began, staring at his trembling hands. "He didn't belong. He was taken from where he should've been—kept somewhere he didn't understand. They said he was special, that he had powers they wanted to control." His voice wavered, his tone drenched in something none of them could quite place—pain, perhaps, or guilt.
Gempa's brows furrowed. "A boy?" he echoed, his tone soft but cautious.
Ray nodded, swallowing hard. "He wanted to escape. He couldn't remember much of where he came from or who he was, but he felt... lost. Like a piece of him had been torn away. He knew he didn't belong there, but he didn't know if he belonged anywhere else, either."
Taufan tilted his head slightly, something sparking in his eyes. "That... sounds familiar," he murmured.
Hali's arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched. "You're saying this boy just escaped? From what? From where?"
Ray's gaze lifted, meeting Hali's piercing stare. "A lab. Somewhere hidden, where they tested him. Pushed him. Hurt him. They wanted him to be something he wasn't."
Blaze shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing at Ice and Duri, who both remained silent, their expressions unreadable. "That sounds... like something out of a nightmare," Blaze muttered.
"No," Duri whispered, his voice trembling. "It sounds real."
The room fell silent again as the brothers exchanged looks. Taufan's eyes widened slightly, realization dawning on him. "Ray... this boy... why does it feel like I've heard this story before?"
Gempa's voice was firmer now, though it cracked slightly. "Because you have," he said, his eyes narrowing on Ray. "Haven't we?"
Ray's expression remained unreadable, but his hands trembled in his lap. "You might have," he said softly, the barest hint of a bitter smile playing on his lips. "Because that boy... was me."
The silence that followed was deafening. It was as if the very air had been sucked out of the room. Blaze's jaw dropped slightly, and Duri's eyes brimmed with tears.
Hali was the first to break the stillness, his voice sharp. "What the hell are you saying?"
Ray didn't answer immediately. Instead, his silver eyes began to glow faintly, the dim light reflecting off them. It was a sight so startlingly familiar that Taufan stumbled back a step, his breath hitching. "Don't tell me..." he whispered, his voice trembling.
Duri, on the verge of tears, pointed at Ray with a shaking hand. "That glow... it's Solar's power," he choked out.
Ray—no, Solar—sighed deeply, his expression a mixture of resignation and sorrow. "You're right," he said softly.













 "It's me. I'm Solar."