Familiar ties

Erik is a on chair holding the hand of a bedridden woman who looks like she's on the verge of death.

"How long has she been like this." Erik says quietly.

"It's been a day now" Ragnar says walking to sit on the opposite side. The once young man had aged well with a well groomed beard and a more muscular build, but it was all overshadowed by his lifeless eyes and disheleved hair.

"I don't understand.. she was walking and talking yesterday morning-".

"Well she's not anymore.. now about why I called you here, there is a way to save your mother boy and in the meantime you're all I can rely on. Seraphina and Kyle haven't responded to my calls yet and you know the status of your older brother." Ragnar says cutting off Erik.

"What is it I have to do then?" Erik asks before sitting up straight.

"I built this country off of the foundation of blood.. now you must cure your mother with the same foundation, near the northern borders of Aurellia there's a young man around your age named Ajax Solomon. He possesses the healing augment the Solomons are known for, you must kill him and bring me his body." Ragnar says before standing up.

"I understand father I won't fail-

"I wasn't finished...The town he resides in is heavily guarded and the black ops unit from Zephyr seems to be hanging around the North these past few months. I cannot risk governments of the south or west invading this country upon reports from their spies that some civilians are caught in the crossfire. I need you to kill every living soul in that town." Ragnar says walking over to his son.

"Wait...th-...there's gotta be another way why can't I just lure him out or something... that should work right?" Erik says sweating profusely.

"He's being watched over by Kaelen the former bodyguard of Solomon, if that man was around on the day of the attack I definetly would've been killed, do not dismiss his capabilites." Ragnar says before crossing his arms.

" what you're asking of me father is-"

"Is what? Wrong? Evil? Your own mother is dying and here you are placing the value of the lives of strangers from a town embedded with spies over your mother!" Ragnar says sternly.

Erik looks down and at his mother,he begins to remember all the times he has played with his mother and siblings as a child and how she even taught him how to become a world class fencer and even gifted him his twin blades, every little to big thing his mother did for him completely changed his worldview within that moment.

"Forgive me if I insulted you father... I'll do it." Erik says looking up to his father.

Present day...

Ajax sits on the roof of the house staring at the stars trying to calm his mind down.

"Forgive me for intruding Solomon San" Kazuki says emerging from the roof out of Ajaxs shadow.

"my god you scared me man.. I mean sir" Ajax says nervously.

"No need for the honorifics I do not deserve respect to that degree" Kazuki says smiling at Ajax.

"May I sit?" Kazuki asks Ajax.

"Uhh yeah sure" Ajax responds nonchalantly.

" Soo uhh how did you become... you know affiliated with lennox and the girl?" Ajax asks attempting to make conversation.

"I was sent to kill Aliyah kun back when she was a child, upon arriving I engaged in a fight with Lennox, I had my blade at his throat and the child rushed at me punching my arms and even trying to scratch me. Aliyah kun was the first and only child they sent me to kill in that moment I saw this... helpless small creature with tears in her eyes trying to stop me from killing her friend. I had what you people call a moral epiphany." Kazuki says while looking down in shame.

"Why did they send you to kill a kid?" Ajax says looking at kazuki.

"I think you've noticed she's a dark elf, at the time my father Kazuma was genociding their people upon finding out a dark elf assassin killed my mother. Instead of finding the contractor of the assassin,my father in a blind rage ordered the complete eradication of the dark elves." Kazuki says while looking up at the skies.

"No disrespect to your father but... did he seriously want everyone dead?" Ajax asks shocked.

" not to excuse my father's behaviour but he grew up in a harsh and deadly environment, he lacked compassion and mercy but my mother was his anchor to his humanity.. once that was gone he became a devil." Kazuki says before looking back at Ajax.

As Kazuki says that a black mist swirls around him and his eyes quickly turn deep black as he instantly stands up.

"Get inside there's a mercenary nearby." Kazuki says before falling into his own shadow.

Kazuki emerges from the ground on a nearby Hill, he walks around the area looking for the presence his shadowmen sensed but the intruder seems to have wisked away.

"I know you are hiding your prescene show yourself." Kazuki says calmly before pulling out his sword.

"What happened to your bow and arrow brother?" Hiroki asks as he walks out of the bushes.

"Young brother.. what are you doing here?" Kazuki asks dropping his guard.

Hiroki instantly takes advantage and lifts his cloak that opens a gateway that sends out multiple shuriken straight at Kazuki who jumps out of the way.

"You think I have forgotten what you to did to me when we were children?" Hiroki shouts out before a large shadow blade emerges from the ground heading towards Kazuki who narrowly dodges. Hiroki jumps at Kazuki and they trade blows with their blades for a while before falling back.

"You're a fool to think I'm past that..." Hiroki says scowling at Kazuki.

"If that's how you feel younger brother, i will let you have your revenge" Kazuki says before dropping his sword onto the ground.

Hiroki shocked is taken aback but he still rushes at his brother and begins to wail punches on his brothers face. Hiroki sits there for minutes wailing on his brother until Kazukis left eye is swollen and his jaw is broken.

"You son of a bitch pick up your sword fight me back.. come on! Hiroki screams out holding a blade at his brothers face.

"If killing me brings you peace for what I did to your face then so be it,you may not believe me but I want you to be happy and to forget about the pain you experienced as a child." Kazuki says before spitting out a tooth.

Hiroki looks at his brother in shock... he tries to ignore his brothers words and cut Kazukis throat... but the rage he was feeling was starting to dissapear... he tried to grab it and bring it back to the forefront of his mind but he couldn't bring himself to kill his brother. Hiroki drops the blade and falls to the left side of his Kazuki.

"Why did you stop?" Kazuki says looking over to his brother.

"I can't.... After you said those things I can't." Hiroki says looking down at the ground trying to hold back tears.

"From the way I'm feeling now... I never wished to kill you, I just wanted you to care about me." Hiroki says standing up and wiping his face.

"My wife and kid are being held hostage... I'd appreciate you staying out of my way brother until I get the target." Hiroki says before walking off.

"Hiroki wait... I need you to hear me out just give me a minute of your time." Kazuki says before standing up and walking over to his brother.

"I'm listening" Hiroki says stopping where he is.