TBATE: Brothers Forever (Beta Version)

Chapter 4: Alive

Arthur Leywin

Grandpa Virion, Tessia, Rinia and I were currently all situated around a circular table with a jar of water in the middle.

"Umm... Elder Rinia? You said that you were a diviner, correct? I'm a little lost as to what it is you can do. Gramps said that I'd be able to find out if my parents are okay by seeing you." I asked, staring curiously at the jar of water.

"Kekeke! Gramps huh? Virion, you've really let yourself go if you're letting youngsters like him call you that," she snickered.

"Bah! He's an exception! If any other brat dares to call me something like Gramps, I'll have them hung upside down and beaten with a cactus!" he grinned back, looking at me.

How painfully descriptive.

Glaring at me, she barked, "Brat! You don't even know where your parents are but you want to travel all over Sapin, find them and then come back to train? You'd be already dead by the time you make yourself back here."

I looked at Grandpa Virion. Did he tell her? Almost as if he knew what I was thinking, he chuckled. "I didn't tell Rinia any of this. There isn't much you can hide from her, but usually she doesn't bother looking into a person. What made you so nosy Rinia?" Gramps said, directing a worried gaze towards the elderly lady.

"Enough about that, though. Arthur, you're here to see your parents so that's what I'll help you do. Close your eyes for a moment and picture your parents. Focus on their appearance and their mana signature. I'll take care of the rest."

I closed my eyes and imagined the last scene I had of them both together: my father badly wounded and my mother healing him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

I looked at her to see the color of her eyes swirling. The water was floating out of the jar and was swirling around, forming a spiraling disk. Suddenly, I see my parents in the water.

The chair I was sitting on flipped back as I bolted up, leaning as close to the table. I saw my mother, father, and brother together, sitting around a dining table. It didn't seem to be our home in Ashber. My mother's face was a bit paler and was currently saying something to my father. I could see she's lost a bit of weight but otherwise looked pretty healthy. Her stomach! It's pretty evident now that she was pregnant by the fairly noticeable bulge on her belly. My father looked the same, but now he's wearing some kind of uniform now though and was sporting a beard.

I could feel hot tears running uncontrollably down my face at this point, as I didn't dare peeling my eyes off of the image of my parents.

They're alive! They're doing okay! They're fine.

"T-thank you Elder Rinia. Thank you truly for showing me this," I managed a sniffled stammer.

"Ahem! Let me see where they are now."

The image zoomed out and I could see the outside of where they're living. Just as I had suspected, it was definitely not our home in Ashber. Zooming out even more, I could see the layout of the city that they're staying in.

"It seems like they've made their home in Xyrus. That makes things simpler for us." She says, a content look on her face.

Tess, obviously worried about me crying, was patting my back but her gaze didn't leave the swirling water.

"Art's parents..." I faintly heard her mumble.

Grandpa Virion clapped his hands together and stood up.

"Okay! Arthur! Let's let your family know that you're alive!"

"How this process will work is that I will pour some of my innate mana into you, establishing a temporary link. When I give you the signal, start speaking as if you're talking to your parents. It's important to know that they will hear your voice inside their heads so they may not believe what you're saying at first. Make sure to get them to believe that it really is you that's speaking to them and that they're not going crazy. I can't keep the connection up for long so say what you need to within two minutes," she asserted, a serious gaze from her eyes.

Nodding at this, I prepare myself as well.

"Begin... NOW!"

Her whole body began glowing the same color as her eyes and I could see the same glow spreading onto me as well.

Taking a deep breath, I started talking.

Hi Mom, hi Dad, hey Jay. It's me, Arthur. You're probably really surprised that you're hearing my voice inside your head, huh? Well there's a reason for that. Before that though, I want you to know that I'm alive and safe. I managed to survive the fall off the cliff and I'm currently living in the Kingdom of Elenoir with the elves. Please don't tell anyone else this. I don't have much time so I'll only say the most crucial things. A friend of mine is a deviant like you mom, except she's a diviner so I was able to see how you guys are doing just now as well. She is also the one that is allowing you guys to be able to hear my voice. I want to go back to you guys as soon as possible but I can't right now. No, I'm safe and alive right now but I have a sort of er... illness inside my body that I need to get rid of before I am able to go back. Don't worry, as long as I stay here and have the elves treat me, I'm 100% okay. I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you guys like this again, but what's important is that I'm alive and I know you guys are as well. Remember; don't tell anyone where I am right now. Better yet, just keep it as if I was still dead to make things simpler. It may take months or even years for me to be able to go back but just be sure that I WILL be going back home. And Jayden, don't be scared when I come back and I'm able to destroy you! - Art."

I had trouble keeping my eyes open from the tears that continuously poured down as I smiled. I simply stood silent, rubbing my eyes as I did all I could from breaking down. The glow faded around both of us and Elder Rinia collapsed back into her chair, sweating and pale.

"Elder Rinia, I don't know how to thank you for this," I managed to croak out.

"Don't forget to drop in once in a while. This grandma here gets lonely kekeke~!" She answered with a weak smile.

I gave her a tight hug, making her almost jump, she eventually succumbed to my cuteness and hugged me in return before shooing all of us away.

While we were walking out, I noticed Tess pouting a little, looking at my chest.

Jayden Leywin (A few minutes earlier)

"It's time for lunch! Jay!" My mother yelled.

I opened my eyes to the call of food. I needed new shoes so we were going to go shopping today, after lunch. Therefore, I could only train in the morning, after breakfast. I ran downstairs and smelled the wonderful aroma of my mother's signature beef stew.

"Hell Yeah!" I yelled.

Then I felt an overwhelming pressure directed at me. I found the source and saw my mother glaring at me.

"JAYDEN! LANGUAGE!"

I apologized and sat down beside my mother and father.

"This used to be yours and Arthur's favorite dish," My mom whispered as tears welled up in her eyes.

Suddenly, a flash went through my head, and then I started hearing it. A voice. It was Arthur.

Hi Mom, hi Dad, hey Jay. It's me, Arthur. You're probably really surprised that you're hearing my voice inside your head, huh? Well there's a reason for that...... but just be sure that I WILL be going back home. And Jayden, don't be afraid when I come back and I'm able to destroy you! - Art."

My mother and father, unable to hold back their tears, started weeping.

While I just stood there, shocked.

I smiled and laughed, "Hahaha! Yeah right! I'm stronger than you'll ever be!" Upon saying that, I heard a faint laugh. I was about to declare a party until I remembered what Arthur said. He didn't want us to reveal that he was alive.

Well forget it, now that I know he's alive, I have to start training. I'm not going to get left in the dust. As I promised, I have to get stronger than him. With that, I ran up to my room to meditate. After a few days, I finally broke into the dark red stage. I looked out the window, and yelled, "I'll see you soon Art! Prepare to get a beatdown!"

A/N: That's it! First major TS! I apologize but even though I already post irregularly, I will have to start posting a lot less, at least until summer break. I've been writing a bit of the chapters during school, and my grades have been dropping. (as seen on my last test) However, my update schedule isn't permanent yet. So once again, I will update a lot faster during summer break. Thank you for understanding!