The Clan

"Light your lamp before it goes dark"

In a tranquil mountain surrounded with nothing but pure sea of trees, stood a majestic gigantic grand manor near a ravishing lake. That morning was misty as the whole surrounding was shrouded with a glint of gloominess. The manor was well built in a western style, it is pure of uniqueness and it was filled with grandeur of scenery. It's a house everyone dreamed of.

Inside the manor, faint voices could be heard talking in the library of the house. The library was filled with nothing but books located neatly and nothing was in disarray, though the room was huge, not a single peak of dust is visible. Two figures was seated across each other in front of a large window. The atmosphere wasn't that good differing into the certain matter the two has been discussing.

"Son, you already has come to the age where the family's inheritance is in your palms. You can't be possibly thinking of going against it. It's the family's tradition for generation to generation, don't let our ancestors down" the older man spoke in an obvious not pleasant tone. He is comparable into an emperor geste, he is domineering and has a coffin face, straight without a single peak of emotions on it. It's feels as if he is interrogating the person in front him to the very depth.

"I've never said I'll go against it, you are being paranoid" chuckled softly the other person that was younger. The mood is intense yet he has the nerve to remain calm and composed while faced with the older man who is like a tremendous volcano that will erupt any time. The younger one has a very dashing attractive looks, he just look like as if he came out from a painting with no trace of imperfections at all. His everything spoke royalty, aesthetic and cunning like the devil itself.

But he has a red hair, a fiery one.

"I've known you for a very long time since birth, you don't tolerate matters such as like this and you don't even seem to care. Where's the tutelage in it?" replied Astrid, the older one. He is about to lose his cool then.

"As I said, you are over thinking. What makes you think after all these years striving in this family which bound me, that I'll just abandon it like it's nothing? How will my conscience be able to handle it?" the red hair male answered back calmly treating it as if this was a normal conversation. Though he said such as reassuring statements, his magnetic deep dark eye's says it otherwise.

"You've been terrible at lying this past days, Aka" Astrid inferred and let go of a sigh which isn't a sign of relief but rather a disappointment .

Aka on the other hand let go of an intoxicating smile and spoke,

"To be frank, my denial in the inheritance, isn't that a good news?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I were to become the next head of the clan aren't you afraid that I might alter the tradition and everything which isn't pleasant in my eyes?" Aka smirked slyly and waited for the next party's reaction.

"Are you threatening me?" Astrid didn't hold any longer as the atmosphere turned grim cold with a trace that hell will ensue soon. Astrid just can't believe it, This very man in front of him is master piece that was honed ever since he was born, becoming into the man he wanted his self to be. But right now? It's completely the opposite, he is daring and enigmatic. He is untamed.

"I wouldn't say so, however there is no price for good advice" Aka sighed and stood as he faced the window that is viewing the misty scene with a poker expression. " Don't think that I'm the Aka who used to follow orders without complaining, the one who used to smile like as if everything is fine, but you know? I'm terrified to myself when I once look in the mirror and saw an unfamiliar me, it give me creeps. Every night, the nightmares haven't stopped and I'm not sure what's real anymore. I'm trying to distance myself cause even I, don't know what I'm capable of doing.."

Astrid flinch for moment as he looked at Aka. Astrid may have a coffin face, but his eyes says it all. There is mixed emotions on it the moment he heard those words. There is sympathy and a gleam of guilt that resided in. To himself, Aka was right. Just who is responsible on the reason why Aka turned out this way? It was them, his own family. A family of nefarious beings who yearn their dear children to abandon humanity resulting into a pure profligacy.

And it was all for their own selfish reasoning. In this world where the strong remains and the weak is eliminated, they won't expect to just sit and watch everything they had been building for to crumble in front of them. That's why the family's embitter tradition incipiency to hone their children to fight and train until they become blooded. This was descended to every generation and no one was exempted, be might a woman of gender. This results into a massive growth of power and soon the clan stood as the most formidable fearsome clan in the whole nation. They become powerful enough to conquer the whole country. They don't lack fame, wealth and power.

But what does it cost? Lives of their own blood family.

They are a bloodline who doesn't spoke weak, but they are a definition of tragedy.

"I'll accept the coronation and ascend as the next head however after this I'm going to return in the military and you won't dare to bother me then. For the last time, I warn you all, not only in this family but everyone who I share my blood with, should never get into my way, or else you won't want me beheading you all" there are no glint of calmness in his tone anymore but pure ghastly. His smile already faded a long time ago and all those affections was just a dress up. Aka left the room after giving a respectful bow to Astrid as the room fell into a disturbing silence.

"Aka, no matter how far you have gone on a wrong way, turn back" Astrid sighed heavily and reminisce the statement Aka just said. They are the main family and they have only the right to ascend into the throne as the head of the clan. Member from the branch family aren't allowed and that's how the family hierarchy works. Astrid is the current head but he will stepped down from the position the moment Aka inherit it. Though, Astrid isn't even that very old to resign, at the age of 52 he announced he would. The very reason there, is for Aka to inherit it early. An age isn't required in inheriting so there is no problem however, as ages passed the clan reputation is producing and if not foreseen, rebellion may occur from the branch families. The main family which includes them is far greater and stronger but deep inside they have a family feud from a long time in wh0 should inherit as the next successor.

In the end, they are all greedy creatures but Astrid is able to foresee this and abandoned his responsibility as a father and crusaded Aka into the depths of pricks. Because for him, only Aka is suitable for this, and there is a thought that Astrid has been falsely clinging for and that's maybe Aka is the leeway for all these sufferings and atonement for their sins.

That's his greatest gamble and if not successful, this time he, Astrid, will be the one to pay all the cost.