Malion: Royal Blood

Brotherly Love

A few hours later, we where out of the forest and entered a field.

"Decoda? Do you know the way to Ramir from here?" Herross asked.

"No, why? Do you need to meet someone?" I asked.

"In a way, yes. I simply need to get a few Items from a certain Blacksmith." He said. I nodded.

"Care to take the lead? I have no Idea where Ramir is." I told him and he sped up, slowing as he walked next to me. We wandered onwards and found a town that was locked by towering walls and what seemed to be the only entrance was guarded by four guards holding large javelins.

Herross trailed behind and seemed to shrink as if to hide better, so I took the lead. As the guards saw us approach, they stepped to the side, one holding his javelin out and blocking our path.

"State your business in The City of the Skies." The guard said sternly.

"We need to see the blacksmith. He would know what we came to get." I told the armored man. He lifted his javelin and let us through. Once within the city walls, a hooded figure that stood at my height approached up.

"Hello Decoda. I'm glad we could meet on the other side of the wall." The man said in a familiar voice. He lifted his head slightly to reveal two glowing white eyes. I smiled and headed towards him.

"You're not liked very much in Ramir, are you?" I asked the shorter God. I heard his charming chuckle, followed by a sigh.

"Not in the slightest. I came here once to get some materials, and neglected to remember that Ramir follows Norvek exclusively, so having his yonger brother, "The Bringer of Death" arrive at their city was a bad omen. I'd rather not say anything else." He explained as we walked through the bustling market located in the business sector in the west of the city. The living and businesssectors were seperated by many fields that sat in the center of the city. The living sector was located in the south, directly southeast of the business sector which was west of the fields that made up what was seen as the largest corner of the vaguely L shaped city.

I kept having to focus my attention back onto Hero's voice after piercung calls from the stall clerks that made up most of the market's noise. When he fell silent, he lead us forward and towards one of the smaller buildings among those that towered over the market. He opened the door and a bell sounded through the quiet of the shop. He entered while the rest of us followed. I noticed Elliott start to sway as he stood beside me.

"Hello Greg, I need a favor and I'd be happy to pay for the rest of the equipment needed." Hero spoke, removing his hood, to the surprise and joy of the burly man behind the counter.

"You saved my son, of course I'd only be repaying my dept to you." The man replied happily, reaching under the darkly stained counter. The blacksmith's shop seemed to be merged with that of a leatherworker as well.

"How is he?"

"Strong and productive!" The man said proudly

While Herross listed off the things he needed, I wandered up next to him, only to hear a shuffling and a grunt from Kaylum.

"Shit." He growled when I turned around to see an unconscious Elliott in his arms. Greg rushed out from behind the counter and called for someone. Meanwhile Michelle ordered everyone to get back and assesed him rather quickly.

"Clint! Get the kit!" He yelled and came to the aid of Elliott. A young man ran up the stairs to our left, and up the ones leading to the floor above. He came back down with a satchel that he had slung around his neck and held in his hands.

Greg asked us to acompany him downstairs while his son helped Elliott.

"Hell be fine. He had just gotten too light headed. All he needs is some rest, food and water. Can you help me carry him up the stairs?" Michelle said to the young man, who offered to help carry Elliott in a breaking voice. He asked Kaylum to help, who nodded with slight hesitation.

"Head downstairs with my father. We can take care of this." He said, looking at me with hazelnut brown eyes that shone with a hue of gold. They reminded me of Alex's eyes before she had been cursed, and made me tear up. Herross placed his hand on my shoulder and attempted to lead me down the stairs. I stayed behind and stepped between the three surrounding Elliott. I picked him up, to the surprise of everyone else.

"Where should I leave him?" I asked, only to be shown up the stairs. He started to get heavier but the bed tgat Clint had gestured to wasn't far, so I managed to get him there gently before my strength had faded.

That evening he awoke and found us in the basement of the blacksmith's shop. The Blacksmith who had formally introduced himself as Greg, set the table for dinner as he had invited us in.

"That's where you all went." Elliott said.

"How are you, young man?" Greg asked. Elliott shrugged and walked towards the table to sit down. The evening went by swiftly. Before we left, Herross asked where he could obtain a few horses to make the rest of the journey quicker. The stables that sat behind the barracks were ones free to use by the comunity. He'd lent us saddles and given us pouched full of treats to help the journey along and when midnight struck, we left the town and continued eastward to find somewhere to camp on the outskurts of the village, just outside the walls of the living sector.

We rode our steeds across the plains as the sun rose. We noticed a figure in the distance, riding towards us upon it's own steed. As it rode closer, we began to make out the glint of enchanted armor on both the horse and the figure.

"Hello Gaians!" the figure spoke. Herross scoffed. The man gasped in response to seeing the God in his true form that he had taken on after leaving Ramir.

"Herross! The poor people under your control must be set free immediately."

Hero rolled his eyes.

"But sir-"

"let him speak for himself." He snapped, interrupting Elliott.

"Selv. Just listen to me and don't you dare open your big mouth," Herross began. Selvan nodded with a sigh.

"I did not enslave these people. I'm helping-"

"Helping them to their doom." Selv interrupted again.

"Selvan!" He yelled, glaring at the man clad in shimmering Mordekite, "I'm helping this young lady find someone. These are her friends. Why don't you introduce yourself to my brother? I'm sure you know who he is already."

"Yes! I am Selv! I am the God of Creation and Progress! Marvel!" Herross scoffed again. I introduced myself. When Elliott introduced himself, Ronin reared his ugly little head with a high pitched cackle. Selv was taken aback by Elliott's sudden personality shift, but commended on the fact that Elliott was looking better. Had they met before? Then Michelle greeted him and lastly came Kaylum, who simply gave the God a respectful nod and his name. After we all introduced ourselves, Selv glared at Herross.

"I will accompany you to wherever your goal is. I don't trust your current guide. For you see," Selv began a story that Herross seemed to hate, "in our domain, as boys, we were invaded. Herross, being the youngest and least qualified of all three of us, went to the Great Hall and faced the invaders. In a short span of time, my younger brother slaughtered hundreds of our people. It was the sight of genocide. When the room was silent, Herross stood above our Father's body, Lord of all Light, his crown of sun on his own head and our Father's head in his small hands." He said, bringing a hand to his face in a swooning gesture, glancing at us through one eye, as if he wanted to check on our emotions. Herross was very tense. His rage was being visibly bottled. He stared at Selv with a mighty glare.

"That is simply the untrue myth that you and Norvek have spread to Gaia." Herross warned through gritted teeth,"I mourned the death of our Father. His light was taken by the Lady of Darkness."

Selv laughed. Herross started shaking with fury. He squeezed his eyes shut and walked in the other direction taking deep breaths. Selv smirked.

"You are nothing but a filthy murderer."

Herross snapped at his brother's words. He launched himself at him tackling Selv to the ground and summoned a black magic orb in his hand. His eyes glowed brightly. He held it close to his brother's neck and yelled.

"I will take your soul and replace it with worms, you arrogant mortal imitation!" He growled, the light that poured from his eyes bathing both their faces as Selv struggled beneath his brother's grip in the dirt.