01: Desires are what Conquers

(THIS CHAPTER IS A REWRITE)

Desires are what conquers–that's all too true for the human species, even more when you bestow the force of gods onto them.

499 years ago, a group of six made history by opening the gates that sealed something so different, so powerful within.. For the following days, calamities ensued as legendary beings erupted from what seemed to be their prison–the "Divine Prison".

Humans weren't slow enough to discover new species that were directly linked to these otherworldly powers–"Magic". When humans found a way to incorporate it within them, they only turned from terrible to horrific.

Desires are what conquers–that's all too true for those who want power, there are way too many that fall victim one way or another, and I'm one of them.

Sévir van Doren is my name, but let's focus more on "Doren"–a surname all too familiar and notorious to the people of the Stepan Empire–my family ruled the nation until seven years ago, it was relatively peaceful until a war between two neighboring nations erupted, leading to deadly battles that drained both our manpower and economy.

Suffice to say, the people were having none of it, and so a coup d'état was launched against us, spearheaded by my father's right-hand man.

The inherent plague within man will never be cured, so long as there are gains, people will do what it takes to achieve them–I'm no different, nor is he.

…

The tears of the clouds poured down the myriad of roofs huddled together, dripping down the road and gutters along. It waited for not a single person to take cover, it was the same for a girl.

The girl tapped the table with her fingernails non-stop, an impatient frown looming in her face. Her free hand gripped the side of her long silver hair, and her golden eyes stared down the window, tracking the surroundings as if she was waiting for someone.

"Ugh.. Where's Brother??" the impatience reached her legs, to which it stood and walked around the room, her feet loudly tapping the plank floor.

She dropped to the tidy white sheets of the bed, beside it was a simple wooden bedside table.

A few minutes later, she stood up again and turned right; a short hallway that connected to four more doors. Alas, she couldn't even consider walking there for she had no reason to.

.

The loud splatter of rain came to an abrupt end just a few minutes later, though the sky remained dark and cloudy.

Caught in-between its departure was the creaking of the door–the arrival of the anticipated. The girl turned around as quick as she could. "Brother!?"

"I'm home." said a tall figure. He pulled down his dark lavender hood, revealing colors identical to the girl–there was no doubt he was her brother.

Her surprised face turned to a quick frown, her stomps growing louder as she walked closer.

"..Where were you!?" she thrusted her right fist forward, punching him in the guts, her voice mixed with annoyance and worry.

The brother jerked forward, a grunt escaping his mouth. "Z–Zephyr, what the hell was that for!?" his voice confused, it matched her pitch, which wasn't too high.

"You told me you'd come home early, but you didn't," her arms hugged her belly, "now I'm starving! Hmph!" she pouted and turned around.

A sigh escaped his mouth. "My bad, the job took longer than expected," he extended his left arm which held a brown bag over her shoulder, "here, some food.. I forgot you're a whole different person when starving."

She snatched the bag, pulling it wide open in anticipation–inside were three loaves of bread. "..I suppose this will do." she grabbed one of the loaves and munched on it as if she hadn't eaten in days.

He walked beside her and patted her back. "Slow down, you might choke." he warned, at the same time he tossed a coin bag that clanked upon landing on the table, he walked to the hallway while taking off his clothes.

Her frown faded away as if food worked as the sole remedy of calming her enraged wits down. "Say, what was your job today? Why did it take so long? It was a shady job, wasn't it? By the way, I filled the bucket for you."

He opened the door to what appeared to be a bathing room with lower elevation and a huge bucket filled with water. "The job wasn't anything shady..–" a disappointing sigh followed. "Is what I'd like to say, but I think it's pretty obvious." he got on the bucket and submerged most of his body underwater, poorly reflecting his slim body that showed not too much muscles–just the right amount.

Zephyr took a peek and continued chewing on her food. "Why must you continue taking these shady jobs? Won't life be harder when people find out Sévir van Doren does these types of jobs?" she asked in concern, yet her eyes were fixated on something else–his upper torso, not in attraction but curiosity.

"Of course I've thought about it, that's why me and Sanguine take extra precautions so that my identity isn't revealed," he turned to her direction, "also, I don't adhere to you peeking while I'm bathing, please quit it."

Zephyr sighed in defeat, walking away from the bathroom. "Okay, okay.. I'll go read."

She walked to the table on her right, which at the very corner was a tall stack of books. Carefully, she pulled one of them out and opened it to a specific page with the help of her thin bookmark.

.

Minutes later, Sévir stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a simple brown tunic and black pants, similar to Zephyr who wore just a simple brown gown.

He leaned over, his gaze landing on the page she was reading. She looked up as a pleasing scent filled her nose. "Woah, you smell nice."

"What book are you reading this time?" he asked, ignoring her compliment.

Looking back at the book, she smiled. "The eighth volume of My Half in Magiaville, I bought this with Nex two days ago."

He raised a brow, confused. "Two days ago? And you haven't finished it? You usually finish books this thick within a day."

A nervous chuckle escaped her mouth. "Ah, well.. I just felt like taking things slowly this time."

He nodded, his gaze averting to the coin bag beside. "Right.." he pulled a chair and sat beside her, flipping the coin bag upside down to take the golden coins off–they all fell one by one.

"Three, five, nine, fourteen.." he mumbled, his tongue clicking as he finished, much to Zephyr's surprise.

"Brother? What's wrong?" she put the bookmark on the page she stopped, then closed the book.

"The rent is due in a week, yet I haven't gotten enough to pay for it." frustration escaped his voice, his tone reaching even Zephyr's heart.

"You should let me help," she suggested, worried, "you and Nex can't do this alone–"

His piercing gaze met hers, sending chills down her spine. "Are you doubting us?" silence ensued, followed by a sigh that seemed to release his frustration. "You don't need to, just continue attending the old woman's classes, that'll be enough."

Not wanting to delve further in the conversation, he stood up and walked to the bed. "Let's sleep early this time."

Zephyr nodded, blowing the candle and following suit. He lay down on the open side of the bed, while she was on the side facing the wall.

They shut their eyes, ready to sleep.. Yet minutes later..

"Hey Brother, are you awake?" asked Zephyr, her voice low.

"I am." he replied in the same volume.

"Will you be dropping me to Mr. Demeter's place tomorrow?"

"I will."

"..Hey Brother.. Will we stay in this life forever?" a hint of sadness loomed within her voice, Sévir heard it too well. "We've been like this for seven years.. At one point, we were supposed to enroll into the Stepan Capital Academy, right?"

She turned around, her near-shut eyes meeting his. "Brother, is there a way to leave this life?"

His heart stung when she asked the last question. He stared up the ceiling, his silence leaving no answer. "..We will."

"But how? We just barely make ends meet, at this rate we'll only leave this type of life when we're full grown adults..!" the thought of it all made her voice crack, her eyes sore and teary.

"I don't know, but I know we'll find a way.. Just please keep on trusting me."

She nodded in a heartbeat, making it clear that she had full trust in him no matter what.

"You should stop crying already and go get some rest." he said rather bluntly, turning the other way. Zephyr followed suit and shut her eyes, ready to sleep.

.

Hours passed by since their conversation, the room and sky now as dark as a void.

Zephyr's words echoed through his ears non-stop, his heart beating faster from either anger or anxiety.

I know there's a way, people only say there's none because they're too lazy to find it. his grip over his pillow tightened, his brows furrowing. Bernard Trysta, former emperor.. The right-hand man that betrayed my father–your son did me a favor by ending the goose chase you started against me.

As of late, I've been preoccupied with work, but just know I never forgot you and the others' sins against us.

The blurry image of a figures' back, his blonde hair long and tied to a ponytail flashed before his eyes. When I get Zephyr out of this life, I'll give all my attention and kill you the most unimaginable way possible–even worse than the way you killed my family.

He shut his eyes, ready to sleep. Mark my words.