| Prolouge

CLANK! THUD!

The sound of a heavy metallic object rang out.

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

There, lying on the ground, was a heavily beaten young man. His hair was a blend of his naturally black and brownish color, mixed with the crimson red liquid of his blood staining the locks of his hair.

The bronze-plated armor he wore could be seen in shambles of its former glory. The chest plate was a broken mass of bronze pieces scattered about, the bronze gauntlets collapsed inwardly into the torn flesh of the young man's wrists and arms, and the broken bronze-plated legs severed along with the right leg.

The young man's face wasn't unscathed either, plastered with deep open wounds and nasty gashes running down his cheeks in a horizontal manner.

Step,

Step,

Step,

Heavy steps approached the young man, both measured and carrying a sense of confidence. The young man, using what little energy he had over his body, moved his neck to see who was approaching.

"For someone with little to no talent, you fought well."

A low-toned voice called out to the young man. Narrowing his eyes upwards towards the voice, he was barely able to make out the appearance of the figure that stood a mere foot away from him.

What was clear enough, though, was the golden-plated armor shimmering from the setting sun that illuminated the surrounding area. The golden-hilted sword, with its blade also gold in hue. And the silver griffin emblem embedded on the right side of the armor's chest plate.

"...!"

Once more, the young man gritted his teeth, blood seeping from his now bleeding gums. Narrowing his eyes a bit more, he was able to see the face of whom this armor belonged to.

Their eyes were an Asher blue. Their hair trimmed and slicked back, its color as bright and gold as the armor they wore. They had a beard trimmed and even. Regardless of the situation, this individual was handsome without any doubt.

"What's wrong, nothing to say to me? Or are you going to continue giving such a disgusting look?"

"Keurk!…"

The young man tried speaking, his voice a mangled shred of a groan. His eyes felt hot, as streams of hot tears began to fall from his face down his cheeks. His teeth still gritted, allowing more blood to seep from his gums.

"Why?"

The young man asked, his voice finally audible but shrill and soft.

"Why what?"

The man adored in golden armor responded, his voice calm and neutral.

"Why… WHY DID YOU BETRAY ME!? TELL ME BROTHER!"

The young man screamed, blood spewing from his mouth as tears ran down his face faster.

"Sigh, you still haven't put it together? No wonder why mother saw you as an eyesore.

Listen to me, and listen well. The reason why I've drawn my blade on you is simple, it's because you're weak, Evan Cromswell."

The man adored in golden armor spoke, his voice calm but tinged with annoyance as he glared down at the beaten and bruised Evan.

"..?!"

Evan's eyes widened, tears running down his now damaged skin. His lips parted to try and speak. But nothing became audible, he was at a loss for words.

"Look at you, nothing to say even at death's door. It's hard to even think that you were born from the same womb as me, mother should've thrown you and the useless man out from the moment you were born.

You're the shame of the Cromswell name. But take solace, at least you'll die a painless death, Evan."

"..Alder!… please!"

Evan spoke, his voice meek and full of sadness as tears fell from his face. Using all his strength to stretch out his hand towards the man adored in golden armor.

Yes, the man that stood before Evan, the man that's raising his sword overhead. Was none other than the eldest son of the Cromswell clan. The one to bring glory to the Cromswell family name throughout the world, Alder Cromswell, Evan's older brother.

Alder paused for a moment, looking at the heavily injured Evan. His eyes conveying nothing but pity.

"Goodbye, Evan. May you find peace. And may your weakness die with you," Alder spoke, his tone cold and prideful.

"Wait, brother!-"

Slash! Crash!

Before Evan could say anything else, Alder brought down the golden sword heavily onto Evan's body, cracking the ground beneath them both into a small crater. Severing Evan's body in two from his right shoulder down to his abdomen.

"Kauk!.."

Evan spewed blood from his mouth, his eyes wide and red from the pain coursing through him all at once. He laid there cold, feeling the empty open space of his right shoulder, his entrails slowly falling out, and his blood staining the ground beneath him.

Evan tried to take breaths, but his body was too worn out from the stress and pain he had endured. The emotional abuse he had been through, the betrayal of his family.

Evan couldn't handle it all anymore, slowly allowing himself to fall prey to the cold icy embrace of death. His thoughts ran rampant.

'Bastards… damn them…. damn them all to hell! I have to die because I'm weak?!

I've been nothing but kind to you all, mother, my brothers and sisters!…. and this is how I'm treated in the end?!'

Memories of times when Evan did nothing but try and be nice and empathetic towards his siblings, and mother came and went through his mind like a whirlwind of emotions.

Tears continued to fall from his eyes, slowly losing their life.

'22 years of my life… wasted on people who've done nothing for me in return. 22 years of my life spent, on pieces of shit that belittled me and my father.

22 years of my life spent, sucking up to those people! 22 years of my life wasted, on a bitch that didn't even give me a glance in the home she invited me into!

22 years of my life…. regretful… over the one person that mattered most to me…. lying in a grave in the middle of nowhere.. never to be spoken of or visited… ever again..'

Evan's thoughts began to slow down. His vision becoming darker and darker, as the sounds of horses and footsteps became a mere echo fading into the precipices of his now fleeting mind.

'If I could change anything…. anything…. I'd go back…. I'd do it all over again… I'd make them pay…. suffer…. repent…. for every drop of my blood that stains the very ground beneath me.

If I had… a second chance…. I'd do it… I'd…'

Evan's final thoughts became nothing more than empty words, as his inner voice became scarce and unheard.

Finally, everything went silent. Evan's body laid bare, bloody, bruised, and beaten beyond recognition. Only leaving the sound of the wind breezing by.

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