章 15: Chapter 15 - Vain Stitching

[Hatred is but a hideous marriage between disappointments and time.]

The foggy night hides the shadow of the long-forgotten sin. Only a glimpse is enough to split the regretful eyes wide open. No matter how much has changed in the untouched past, brothers shall never miss each other.

" Z-Zalros! "

Loud, the king screams the name of the one whom he shared the past with. Calling out the tall figure who stands upon the hill of corpses. Before the dark gate of the netherworld, bathed in the blood of the slain, with eyes that were of different black than the king's, the man stared in silence.

" Brother! It's me! "

Clouded in both anxiety and curiosity, the king's mind was overflowing with questions. Yet the situation is not kind for the absent-minded, suddenly a round-shaped object is thrown into the air and landed right in front of the legion's walling barricade, taking them by surprise.

" Argil... "

However, the Silver Legion is not to be taken so lightly. Skilfully trained as they are, it only took a few seconds for them to regain their focus. Soon after the flying head, a huge, four-legged abomination jumped from the pile of corpses and crashed into the open ground before them.

It was a monster in a size of a barn with a body covered in muscles and furs. Its heads resemble that of a lion with a pair of large swirling horns, while its large mouth is busy chewing the unfortunate.

" Formation, spread out! "

A common knowledge when subduing a beast of enormous size, never stays too close to each other. They are on their guard, waiting for it to make the first move. But instead of violently charge on them, the beast sits down with its head lowered to the dirt, like a tamed animal.

" Rise... "

A smooth, manly gentle voice, came from behind the beast. It was undoubtedly the figure in question, even though his appearance is yet to be seen as he was shrouded by the shadow of the beast.

All those who witness his coming were dumbfounded. The man was standing upon the hill of corpses in the far behind just a moment ago. It truly makes no sense for him to walk a hundred meitel in only a few seconds, as even a very exceptionally well-trained sportsman in Edessia can only pull such stunt by doing sprint for a full six seconds. How can he possibly do such an extraordinary effort with no sound?

However, the thing that should be of their concern was none other than the spell that the man has cast. By the command of a single word, come forth the dark forces, the reanimation of the slain knights, all bowing down to him.

It was not a mere necromancy, but something far more sinister. It's a soul bending and astral materialization magic that was performed only by a single word. In a similar concept to the Celestial Art: Santa Gladia, but different in details. While Santa Gladia has a limited and complex effect, this dark magic was far simpler but results in massive instead.

A great clash with uneven stand-off is about to break. The Silver Legion clearly has the lower hand, as the difference in number was so great, it's one to three, not to mention the large beast.

Amidst the tense-putrid air, Halius walks forward, going beyond the defense line. There's only one thing in my mind; his brother. He saw these unprecedented events as a glorious auspice, a second chance given to him by the gods to make a right of his wrong.

" Y-Your Majesty "

" Stand your ground and leave me be! "

A knight yelled to him, only to be brushed aside. But the knight's forewarn was not for nothing. As the king essentially stepped into the other side of the line, therefore, for him to be aggressed by the enemy is a certainty.

The horned lion pounced on Halius, trying to shred him to pieces as it did to his underlings. But death does smile on those who do not know their limit, and so it does for the horned lion.

" Step aside, weakling. "

'Strongest man of the kingdom' was not a mere title. It was a badge to his unfathomable prowess. Halius side-stepped right before the horned lion land its claws on him, before he sunk his sword right to its neck and nails it to the ground, deep until the hilt touches its skin. He then powerfully smashed its head with his shield, sending it flying for hundreds of meitel and leaving its body behind.

" ..... "

" Owaaaah! "

The army let out a war cry upon witnessing the legendary herculean might right before their eyes. Their morale skyrocketed. They bang their spears to their shields, entering a battle trance. Yet this wasn't the case for Halius, as he already noticed that the man whom he called his brother was already standing before him.

A long white-haired figure with a sable eye, wearing similar armor to the king but with notable differences; it was colored in pitch black, the horned griffin on the left pauldron is nowhere to be seen - leaving only but a chipped part, and a piece of tattered cape lying on the back of his right shoulder.

" Zalros.... "

Looking at the severe scar in the left eye of his brother that rendered it blind, Halius reminded of one of his greatest regrets that haunts him every time he sleeps. An everlasting wound that was carved by his own hands.

" Halius... "

Zalros's calm and composed voice was still the same after all this time. Halius tears flow down his cheek. The missing brother which he thought was long dead is now standing before him, even though he knew that something unfortunate had happened to his dear brother.

" Come back, Zalros... I'll relinquish all that I have. "

" I do not wish of your crown, praises, and jewels. It was of no use for me now. "

Halius was taken aback by Zalros's words. He still clearly remembered how Zalros has always desired the throne as much as he did back then. Therefore, to think that his brother cast aside those which he desired, 'why' is the question to which the king needs to find an answer.

" But I also do not wish for more blood, death, and destruction. "

" ...Then, what is it that you desire? "

Zalros took a step forward, getting near to Halius.

" The Revelations. "

Truly, what an extraordinary statement. No one is supposed to know about The Revelations, except for the rightful king of Edessia and The Great Elder. Not even the queen nor the princes know about it. It was a secret solely purposed for the king to hold.

Halius couldn't even believe what he had just heard. Thus, he wanted to confirm himself.

" Who in the world are you? "

Zalros fell silent, leaving Halius speculating with his guess and imagination. Left with no answer, the king strengthened his grip.

" Are you a fool or a deaf?

I'll ask you once more, who are you, whom dare enough to pretend to be my brother? "

His breathing is starting to sound heavy. His anger is starting to effervescent, like a bottle of carbon champagne that is ready to burst once opened.

" That was very perceptive of you.

But it was the truth... I am Zalros, though not entirely. "

Zalros closes his eyes. After a dozen of silence, he opened his eye again. There Halius can see, the pupil of his eye turns red, and its sclera turns black. As if the shape of his face has changed, the light on his eyes was entirely different. He stares with a much more violent aura, truly contrasts to the gentle one before.

" Who are you, fiend?! "

Halius readies his sword to his side and is on his stance. Somehow, he feels threatened by the atrocious aura from the being that dwells inside his brother.

" What have you done to my brother?! "

Zalros, or rather, the being who's controlling now didn't respond. It just stares at Halius with malice. Suddenly, the symbol in the back of the king's right palm glows bright and vibrating on its own, like it was reacting to the strange-sinister entity.

Without any exchange of words between the two, Zalros close his eye once more and regain himself. He then just quietly stared at Halius, hoping that there's no need for him to explain any further.

And Zalros was right, Halius immediately understand that he is dealing with something really powerful, something that he might cannot overcome by himself.

" I've given you my answer... It's your turn now.

Mind that I'll guarantee the safety of the people if you hand us what we asked of you. "

Fate is a ruthless, mischievous creature. Once again, Halius were faced with two choices, forced to be an arbiter of the lives of others. He finally understood... It was a brutal lesson taught by the gods, and he learned it in the hardest way.

He thought he had chosen poorly last time, but now he realized that was not the case. No matter what he chooses, he had to lose something. An outrageously simple, but prominent lesson.

" Zalros... I see that you are possessed, blinded, and involved with something that you shouldn't just like I was. "

Halius whips his sword, elegantly cleaning its edge from the blood of the beast which he had just slain. Amidst the damped tainted soul as his bed, and the clanking of steels as his lullaby, the king of Edessia made up his mind and fearlessly stands tall.

" Hence, as your brother, I shall not let you walk the same sinful path as mine.

Draw your sword. "

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