Dear Brother

Chapter Two: Words

Br'aad stared at the crumpled body at the bottom of the building. He sneered, Sylnan would be back up. But Br'aad knew he wouldn't be coming back. The blood that dripped from his chest stung. Br'aad wished he didn't have to slice that dagger across his chest but he needed to sell it.

Br'aad shoved the book of Ob back into its rightful place under his bed. He eyed the dagger that Sylnan had dropped, which didn't have nearly enough blood on it to have killed Hilltree. He pulled a small vial from the pink bag that hung at his side. Carefully, he dumped some of Hilltree's blood onto the blade. He looked at the empty glass, littered with Hilltree's blood. Br'aad considered what to do with it for a moment. He decided on dripping the little bit left only the unconscious form of Sylnan at the base of the building. Then, he chucked the vial into the furthest street he could. The perfect crime.

'You know what to do next. The plan is in motion. Soon, you will be able to bring him back.' Ob'nockshai's message seeped into his mind.

Br'aad couldn't help but think about his brother's pleads. "Did we have to frame Sylnan?"

'My son, we are just framing a murderer for another killing. Remember, blood is only bone deep.'

Br'aad took a shaky breath. He felt the panic and tears he would soon put to use. He ran over his character in his mind. A person who cares for Sylnan, who doesn't know Hilltree is dead, who is very upset over his death.

Br'aad clutched his chest with a hiss, limping from the room. He caught a few eyes, not that he cared. The tavern was not too far, as he reached the open doorway, a hoarse shout reached his throat. "Taxi, Vel, Mountain!"

The room's collective heads turned. Only the party, or what was left of it, ran to assist Br'aad as he toppled into someone's arms. He really couldn't tell from the false tears clouding his vision.

"S-Sylnan. He bro- he broke into my room and then he... he tried to kill me. He sliced me and I called out and and- oh gods I stabbed my own brother"

"Br'aad, what? Sylnan did this? What's going on?" It was Vel's voice, calm and quiet.

"I literally just tried to explain it- I don't know. I mean yeah, he's been acting off lately but I never expected... this." He let his voice break.

"Let's get you up to your room, we can get away from these people and I can heal you." Vel patted his arm, leading him back up to his room. Perfect.

"Do you know where he went?" Mountain's gruff voice was filled with urgency, "Is he still up there?"

"N-no he broke through my window and ran out after he attacked me. I-I had to stab him. I don't know if he was trying to kill me. He probably wasn't. It was probably just an accident."

Taxi stared at the half-elf, "A scratch that deep isn't an accident. He knew what he was doing."

They had reached Br'aad room now, he had left the door wide open to make it seem he ran out in a hurry.

"Take a seat, I'll heal you." Br'aad sat on his bed as the tiefling used her magic to heal him, the purple glow pulsed through his veins as the hurting across his chest dissolved into nothing.

He muttered a thanks. A smile almost crept across his mouth as he remembered whatever damage Sylnan had taken from that fall would have to be dealt with because Vel wasn't there to heal him. That poor, poor killer.

Taxi and Mountain surveyed the constructed room, finding that Sylnan had dropped a dagger and the shattered glass fell to an empty street, a few drops of blood tracked to the empty street below. A sigh of relief was almost let loose as the plan fell into place perfectly.

"You said you had to stab him?" Mountain asked, turning towards Br'aad.

Fear, both real and fake, filled his face, "I didn't want to. I had to. He almost killed me. I didn't know what to do. I just stabbed him in the gut, he'll be okay. I just didn't want him to-"

"-kill you," Taxi finished. "It's okay. So he's injured, he couldn't have gotten far. Maybe he has an explanation to all of this."

"But where can we find him?" Vel stood up, "This city is huge, he could be almost anywhere."

"Maybe he has something in his room?" Br'aad suggested, know exactly what didn't lay six feet in that room. "Like in his bags?"

Taxi considered it for a moment. "Maybe."

The party made their way five doors over, to the room emanating a strange stench. Br'aad sucked in a breath, "Can anyone lock pick?"

"Sylnan ca- oh, right." Mountain muttered. He raised his leg up, delivering a powerful kick, knocking the door in two.

"Mountain, you know we're gonna have to pay for that-" Vel interrupted herself with a sharp intake of breath as the party took in the sight of what 'Sylnan' had done.

Blood spattered in groups across the flooring. A familiar green figure lay in the middle of the wide pool of blood.

"Hilltree." A hushed whisper came from the party in unison before rushing forwards. Vel rushed across the bloody pond that had formed.

"He's gone." She whispered, turning back to the party, tears visible at the edges of her eyes. "Sylnan must have slit his throat. He didn't put up much of a fight."

Br'aad grabbed his head as he rehearsed. "No, no no, no no no, no. Not Hilltree too."

Taxi stood in stunned silence as Mountain pushed past. His eye was turning red from the water running down his face. "We can't let Sylnan get away with this. Scour the room. I want nothing left unturned. We need to find him and make him pay for what he did to Hilltree and Br'aad."

'Look how well the plan is going, Br'aad. Just like I said, words are louder than blood. And when you mix the two... it's unstoppable.' Ob's warm voice echoed in his room. A satisfied smile leaked across his face as he searched the room for clues he planted.

A killer would be punished. Ob'nockshai would make sure of that.