So comfortable. He floated on the whiteness as it expanded across the horizon and beyond. It was empty, but he did not dread for the emptiness. He felt very serene and revelled in it as if there was no peace for him before coming here. “Where and what I had been doing before coming here?” Now and then, the question floated in his head but he felt no urgency to quell this curiosity. After all, it was so warm and cosy, drifting aimlessly and felt the gentle caressing of some unknown flows of Natura. It was perfect. Perfect as it may, he could not help but feel a pang of loneliness and need for someone to be here with him. It would be fun, sharing this paradise with someone...
Musing on his solitude, he sighed when a buzz was heard from nowhere. Looking around with mild anticipation, he was about to dismiss it as an illusion when the buzz came back louder and clearer. It was a voice. With his heart thumped in jubilant, he swam across the white nothingness and tried to locate the voice. The voice became more comprehensible in every second. It was the voice of a young boy, and the boy was calling for a name he could not place. Lu...Luc...Lucos...Lucious? He felt somehow warming as the sensation spread across his body even he could not sure of who the voice was calling to. Curving himself to a ball, he held his chest where his heart was with both of his hands and closed his eyes as if trying to keep and cherish the warmth that pumped across his every fibre of existence for as long as he could.
“Lucious.” He opened his eyes and rubbed his eyes with a dumb expression as a wind blew across his cheek with hints of the coming winter. Shaking with a sudden chill, he rubbed his shoulders and arms while overlooking the expanding field with shortened grass with a large building behind. Lying on a tree with his back, he felt a slight uncertainty as everything seemed larger and longer. “Lucious, where are you?” “Here...!” He stopped abruptly as a childish soft voice came out from his throat. Alarmed, he looked to his hands and found a pair of fingers, palms, and arms too small crinkling in response. He was tracing his head which was a tad smaller than he thought when the voice approached him. “There you are! Where have you been?” He looked up dumbfounded at a boy, obviously a few years older with his face darkened with annoyance.
Scanning him with a pair of slightly amber eyes, the boy exhaled with mock exhaustion as he brushed back his brown hair impatiently. “...Nice weather for a nap, little brother?” Bewildered with the sudden conversation, he fumbled for words when a flicker of pain stung across his forehead and dissipated as fast as it spread. “Wha’cha doing, big brother? Brushing his forehead with a frustrated look, he protested and found his tongue tangled with difficulty for words. “...Alright, stop with that voice. It’s sounded like a spoiled baby.” “Who’s a spoiled baby?!” Protested with his childish voice, he was about to ramble on when his brother interrupted. “...Have you done your chore, Lucious?” He stopped his mouth and looked at his brother, blinking with oblivious expression.
“...And you have the gut to take a nap. Floki’s gonna kill us!” Shuddered at the thought of Floki’s grin twisted by anger, he trembled slightly and shrunk his body protectively. “...Come on. Get up. I’ll help, so...” He looked up and saw a hand extended in front of his face. Taking the hand, he rose while looking at the gloomy sky. That’s right. He remembered Floki gave him the task of mopping the floor around the dormitory. Having it easy, he went outside and played around the training field before getting tired and falling asleep under the tree. Urged by the severity of Floki’s punishment which usually means a night of empty stomach, he was about to work to a dash when he found his brother was not following.
Turning back, he found the older boy staring at the overcast sky with a serious expression. It seemed like his brother was indulging in his thought again. Rushing back to his brother, he tucked at his brother’s sleeve. “Brother, I think we should go before Floki found out. Brother?” Unable to rattle his brother back to his senses, he grabbed helplessly at the sleeve as he kept his gaze at his brother and waiting for him. “Lucious?” He nodded anxiously even though he could not catch the name. “Say, Lucious. Have you ever thought of what will we do when we grow up?” He shook his head. “...Then, why don’t we try to go farther? Away from here. Toward the unknown places, we have never seen before.” He tilted his head in question as he could not comprehend what his brother trying to say.
“Lucious. I heard from Floki when he was drinking in the bar...” “Brother, we cannot go there. Floki and Grawy...” “...It’s alright, my little brother. As long as you sneak in slightly late when they already have done with several cups.” He opened his mouth with surprise at the rebellious side of his otherwise obedient and capable brother. “There’s a lot of interesting stuff around the world outside. Floki said our world is big. It’s that big...” His brother gestured to the sky while opening his arms as if to embrace the stretching grey. “...And there is a city so great and big. Everything is shining. There is plenty to eat with meats and fishes...” His eyes were shining with the fascination with his brother’s story while drooling at the thought of foods. “...There’re monsters and demons around our world and those from that city was charged to protect everyone...” With his neglected task forgotten, he clung to his brother and pestered for more stories. His brother also seemed to forget their urgent task as he continued with equal enthusiasm.
“...And they go on to an adventure to defeat the monster and demons, but there’re too many of those foul things...That’s why Floki and Grawy are here. To stay and protect us...” Ending his story with a high note, his brother fell into silence once more. “Big brother?” He tucked at his brother’s sleeves once more. “...Sorry, Lucious. What I’m trying to say is...” Recovered from his thought, his brother ruffled his hair softly as he closed his eyes, smiling with comfort. “...Why don’t we go to that city?” He opened his eyes with surprise and looked at his brother. “...We can go there and show them our wits. I’m sure they will let us join their mission and adventure...” With his mouth ajar, he looked at his brother with awe as his mind racing with thought and his heart thumping with excitement.
“...With my arms and your talent, we will become the greatest partner...” Laughed with the bright possibility of their future, his brother stood proud with his arms grabbing at his waist. “Lucious.” Looking back at him, his brother gazed at him with a contemplative expression. “...Do you want to come with me?” Without hesitation, he nodded his head with an excited “Yes!!“. Smiling with a big grin, his brother looked back to the sky once again and raised his arm with confidence. “...Then, let’s us rise and go beyond this sky. To Jercflosey!!” “To Jercflosey!!” He followed his brother with equal jubilance with both of his arms raised as if searching for the sun to capture it. “...First, let’s get that mopping done.” “...Yes...” Reminded of his mundane task, he lowered his shoulders slightly and answered weakly.
“Let’s go, Lucious.” He was about to follow his brother with resigned boredom before the words hit him. Stunned, he stopped with his eyes widened as his mind raced once again but in premonition and foreboding. “...Luci...Lucious...” Grazed by the chilling wind of the coming winter, he repeated his name and cupped his hands to his chest as he sank to the ground with indescribable weight. His head was throbbed with images flashing before his eyes. His childhood with Daelous and Ruffia. His gruesome training regime under Floki and Grawyrad. His boring but peaceful everyday with mundane tasks and occasional missions as backup members. The days in which he dismissed as a slow drag but enjoyed its quaintness. The mixed feelings as his brother moving up steadily. The lazed complacency as he trotted on with his life even when the Union foolishly ventured into the Abyss.
These peaceful memories were burned down as the Union crumbled under the Grimkeeper and robbed old Grawyrad, Daelous, and many others of their lives. The absolute bleakness he found himself as the city and its people feared and estranged him. A cursed boy. He merely clung to his life, depending on Floki’s rugged kindness, and waited for his time to disappear. His grim memories changed once again as he met Cassian, Merridian, and their bands of warriors and Maeists who came from Jercflosey. His journey and battle with the expedition. Against Fang Coyotes. Against the undead. Against the demons. Finally, he forced the Grimkeeper to the final showdown with even advantage. He lived carefreely and suffered due to his lack of strength. With wistful determination, he learned bitterly and gambled with his life and existence to exact his woe. He was Lucious, the younger brother of Daelous who stood resolute to the end.
“...I...am Lucious...” Grasped on his chest with pained but determined grip, Lucious found his hands returned to its size and grabbed his face to make sure before looking up from his recollection and found his brother. Cladded in a set of heavy armour bestowed by the last Baron to Knights of Sheldon, Daelous looked the same as he did, before the tragedy. With his strong brown eyes and gentle smile, Daelous stood proudly with his spear in his grip and his shield shouldered at his back. “...Daelous...Brother...” Lucious struggled to rise from his kneel and looked dumbly at his brother, but fear to approach him. “...This is a dream...It must be...” Even in his dream, Lucious remained calm. “Brother...I did it...I defeated the Grimkeeper...with everyone’s help...”
Although he did not dare to get close, Lucious could not help but to take several steps ahead and extend his hands toward Daelous. “...with Cassian...Merridian...You know Cassian, right? How sneaky of you, knowing some bigwig from the Principle...” Trying desperately to strike a conversation, Lucious spoke frantically with several pauses. “...I get to know a lot of interesting people from Jercflosey...I think I made a perfect impression...This might be it...” Lucious took a long pause to gather his mind while calming his heart with a deep breath. “...Brother...I’m so sorry...For abandoning our vows to get stronger...to go farther...” Lucious closed his eyes in anguish as regret blurred his vision. “If I was stronger...Back then...If I was as strong as now...Surely...”
Shaking his head, Daelous smiled firmly at Lucious and turned away from his younger brother. A step. Two. Three. Daelous walked away from Lucious. “...Wait...There is still something...There are a lot of things...” Lucious tried to catch up to Daelous, but his brother covered a good distance despite his relaxed stride. “Stupid dream...No...I need more time...” Realising his time with Daelous was coming to an end, Lucious tried to focus his Natura, but his Natura was not responding. “...DAELOUS...BROTHER...PLEASE...!!” Without turning to his brother, Daelous strode ahead slowly but firmly as the sun came out from the supposedly late autumn evening.
Clearing the uncertain clouds from the sky, the sun shone as if it was summer and cast a warming atmosphere around the area. “...Daelous...” Lucious stared breathlessly as Daelous walked beneath the gentle light with his armour gleamed brilliantly. Stopped in his track, Daelous looked up and raised one of his arms toward the sun as if striving to capture it. Tears started to flow once again across Lucious’s cheek, but this time in understanding. It was time to move on and their dreams had not ended as long as one of them keeps journeying on. “...Such a slave-driver...I know...I understand...so...” Wiping his tears, Lucious looked determinedly ahead as Daelous continued once again in his endless journey. The brilliance of the gleam on Daelous’s armour bathed Lucious’s vision as his dream dismissed into whiteness before descending to the darkness.
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