Little Parts of Me

VII. Battleground of Reign

Battleground of Reign

"Don't go near me."

Izara took a step back, one arm outstretched in a kind of defensive stance. Her pale, yellow eyes darted amongst the sea of offenders that were all dressed in the same black uniform.

"They won't do anything to you, Iza the-" Lance was cut off with the whistling sound of a whip, hitting the ground in front of his shoes.

"You have no right to call me that." His gaze met hers in a dangerous stand-off, their eyes unfaltering. The guards around him took a step closer, causing Lance to raise his arm.

"Enough, we're retreating." Izara's stance relaxed as he recalled his guards, Lance's grey-clouded eyes softening against her's that burned with victory and satisfaction.

"You were always the fool in our family." Lance let his words hang in the air with the ashes of his past fallen soldiers and enemies. They were standing in the battlefield of Reign, the once main ground of battle in which the five nations encompassed. But now, it was a solemn reminder of the Great War that destroyed three of those large, forgotten kingdoms. Both siblings were not unfamiliar with the barren field on which they stood, littered with ashes of their kind and the blood and corpses of the innocents.

"Yes, I am labelled the fool. The fool that fled the security of her kingdom for a human boy that wouldn't have lived a day out here. But if you don't stop talking, I'll be the fool that slew her noble brother's kings guard." Izara raised her head as a challenge to the people under his command, the entirety of them shifting in unease.

Then suddenly a soldier broke from the formation and charged for her, driven by the feeling of being looked down upon from a 'girl'. Lance watched in amusement, lifting a hand to stop the rest of the guards who were planning to retrieve the fool. The lone kings guard covered the short distance from the formation he broke to Izara who watched him with the same eyes of amusement her brother had.

A sword raised and ready to strike down on her - a yell of war cry came from him but no other soldier moved to follow.

"Foolish." The same whistling sound of the wind being cut graced everyone's ear before the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart. Blood spilt onto the ground and onto Izara's alabaster skin. The kings guard looked on in horror as their comrade's body was split into six, the area's marked with clean cuts, blood draining out and his organs spilling afterwards.

Lance sighed and waved his men to fully retreat, all of them - without hesitance - walked back to the border, shaken and defeated. Izara wiped the blood from her cheek with the back of her hand - smudging the crimson liquid.

"Letting humans serve under you, you are also foolish." Lance scoffed at her spiteful comment, he stepped closer to her. She didn't move or say anything in protest, watching him carefully as he stepped over the bodily remains of his now former guard.

"Izara... Iza, the Purean Empire is safe. They weren't planning to experiment on you. They will provide us protection, I will see to that." Lance was standing in front of her now, a hand caressing the side of her cheek that was free from blood. Izara pushed his hand away

"Protection - protection. You've seen what they've done to the people seeking refuge that have come from the fallen nations. The things they did to survive the Great War. We are supposed to head to Vroba." She grabbed her older brother's arm, her grip was surprisingly gentle and it seemed to relax him, Lance inhaling a sharp breath.

"The Vroba Ruins are dangerous for the both of us. We don't know what's out there, let alone if anyone from our past crusade made it that far." Izara's lips pursed into a straight line, as she saw his guards finally reach the border.

"Come back with us, Purean may not be the place you wish it to be but its the only safe haven from Eternal Beasts right now." It was his turn to place a gentle touch, holding both of her hands with his.

"I need you safe, Iza. Please don't make your brother worry." Izara's fingers tightened around his hand, her mind reeling with decisions. Her black, windswept hair covered her eyes. Lance's own messy, raven hair resembled her's - just significantly shorter. They were twins, born into the rebel kingdom and trained under the infamous clan - The Ethereal Knights. They were the inseparable pair.

Izara let her hands slip from his, a weak smile graced her lips.

"I'm sorry, Lance. But you know you can't change my mind."