Chapter 1: I hope we'll be brothers

Chapter 1 - I hope we'll be brothers

A grey pigeon flew across the cloudy skies, bathing in the warm rays of the morning sun. Suddenly, a silver-tipped wooden arrow pierced its head causing it to plummet into a torrid patch of gray smoke. Covered with ashes, it limply fell onto the soft meadow below and was nonchalantly trampled by many heavy leather combat boots.

"Rahhh!"

Deep bellowing cries echoed endlessly through the air as two armie charged at one another with intense bloodlust. The ringing clash of metal was as common as crickets in the night and the iron scent of blood intoxicated the air, filling the lungs of the people in battle further enhancing their desire to kill. Every second lives were falling like leaves in the fall.

Despite the chaos and bloodbath that ensued, an invisible circular boundary was formed in the middle of the meadow, encasing two individuals. Every person who stumbled into the marked circle would notice their presence and deviate their path in respect and fear. Nothing existed in their little world except a spread of broken arrows.

One man grasping a steel pole was donned in a ceremoniously decorated robe with a leather belt wrapped around his waist. His brown eyes were cold and sharp, pairing well with his defined jawline and cheekbone. His hair was hidden behind a red bandana embroidered with a white spiral insignia.

The other man wore light metal armor that covered his entire body. His helmet covered a majority of his face aside from the T-shaped opening that revealed his black eyes, nose, and the center of his lips. He held two identical hefty long swords and pointed them at his opponent in a threatening manner.

Both men were breathing heavily and sweating profusely, but their intense demeanor remained similar from the first blows they exchanged. The man with the armor was the first to break as he cracked a smile.

"Hey Eon, do you even remember how this feud started?"

Without withdrawing his menacing aura, Eon responded, "No, I do not."

"Heh, I thought so", the man sighed. "I haven't got the slightest clue either. What I do remember is how we were pretty close. Do you remember that?"

"I do, I would go as far as to say we were like brothers."

The man smiled wider. "I felt the same way."

Eon sighed lightly. "Unfortunately I am Eon Cresh and you are Gallah Ann. We are cursed by our filial nature."

"I think the word unfortunate is the understatement of a lifetime", Gallah scoffed as his eyes wandered the battlefield. He exhaled deeply and returned his attention to his opponent, "If there's life after death, I hope we'll be brothers."

As he spoke his last words, a blinding bright light surrounded him and his sword. Eon took his own offensive posture, holding the steel pole with both hands and pointing it directly at Gallah. He claimed the initiative immediately as he lunged forward. Mid-way, a similar bright light surrounded Eon as he leaped into the air.

Gallah immediately brought his swords up in a cross just in time to meet Eon's pole. Feeling a destructive vibration making its way down his arms, he quickly released one of his swords and angled the other, allowing the pole to slide off. Twisting his body, he pivoted his foot and spun in a circle to strike Eon's back.

Prepared for this maneuver, Eon kept his stance and directed the bottom part of his pole to defend the strike. As soon as the attack hit, a numbing sensation crept up his arms. Stomping his feet on the ground and pushing off with his other foot, he released the connection and slammed into Gallah with his shoulder.

The impact pushed Gallah away but he dissolved most of the blow by leaning back and lightly jumping off his feet. Having created distance, they cautiously circled one another as they felt their endurance reaching its limits. Around them, however, the war mercilessly raged on.

-Whssssss-

A volley of arrows whistled through the air, descending dangerously in their direction. Giving each other intense stares, they waited for the other to make a move so they could use the opportunity to deal the final blow. As the arrows drew fatally near, Gallah reacted, but not to defend the arrows.

With every ounce of strength he had left, Gallah lunged at Eon. Having no other choice, Eon responded promptly by lowering his body, and spun in a sweeping motion while extending the pole. The expertly sweep cleared most of the arrows, except for two strays that lodged themselves into his back, and continued onwards to hit Gallah.

Gallah's eyes shone with maddening resolve as he showed no signs of stopping. As several arrows lodged into his back and arms, he braced himself and willingly received the blow from the pole with his side. Through his armor, he felt several ribs crack from the vibrating blow, however his plan succeeded. Grimacing at the excruciating pain, he recovered his composure in an instant and clamped down on the pole with his armpit. He looped under the pole with his arm and followed through with his sword.

Releasing his pole, Eon retreated but it was too late. His now sluggish footwork coupled with the new arrow-inflicted injuries to his back extremely hindered his movements. The sword successfully slashed across his stomach, opening a deep bloody gash.

"Hahh!"

Taking utmost advantage of the situation, Gallah released a roar of strength, summoning the last sliver of energy remaining in his body, and plunged his remaining sword into Eon's heart.

Eon widened his eyes and opened his mouth. Exhaling his last breath, he stared deep into Gallah's eyes. What he saw was not pleasure in victory but only a heavy and exhausting relief. In his last thoughts he realized he too felt an immensely comforting relief, and then there was nothing.

Gallah stared at the lifeless body in his hands and heaved a great and difficult sigh. He released the body, the pole under his arm, and his weapons as an overwhelming urge to cough took over his body. Only now did he feel the collective effects of Eon's blows as he covered his mouth with his hands and coughed a torrent of blood. The fatal amount of blood surged past his hands, onto Eon's corpse and the grass.

A strong faintness overpowered his body and he fell on his back. The excruciating pain he endured slowly faded away as he stared at the murky gray smoke. At that moment a pillar of fire shot into the sky, parting the smoke ever so slightly. The fiery opening blended with the bright blue sky and the morning sun, molding a magical blue-red-orange mixture.

Gallah smiled meekly, "Who knew war could make something so beautiful."

As he uttered the last word a wave of fatigue washed over his body and he closed his eyes. The war waged on and every person who laid eyes on either Eon or Gallah where significantly angered and fought with enhanced fervor. They of course knew nothing of the effects of their deaths, only an endless and thoughtless darkness…

.....

....

…..

..

Eon and Gallah woke with a start, greedily gasping for breath. Each breath they took were difficult and painful as if they had not breathed for an eternity. They snapped forward and felt around their bodies for their respective death wounds. Their blurry eyes squinted at each other and they vaguely made out the others appearance. However, as their eyes began to focus, their figures faded away and an unfamiliar body greeted both their eyes. In the middle of a stone plated courtyard, the two teenage boys stared blankly at one another.

"Gallah?", one of the boys spoke, his voice much higher than he was used to.

"Eon?", replied the other with a voice just as strange.

Suddenly, they both received a sharp pain in their minds as memories uncontrollably reeled in like a film. Neither of them knew how much time had passed but when their consciousness returned they both came upon a realization.

'Reincarnation', they thought. Their next realization was so shocking they were unable to keep it in their minds.

"We're brothers?", they remarked together.

They foolishly stared at each other as the fact sunk in. Gallah recovered first as he jumped to his feet and ran towards Eon. He struggled to pull him up but when he did he wrapped him in a tight bear hug. The breath-taking pressure sufficiently woke Eon from his stupor.

"But our families…", Eon began to say but Gallah stopped him with an incredulous expression.

"What about our families?" he questioned passionately. "We already gave them one of our lives fighting a war that we didn't even start. I'm not about to give them my second life, are you?"

Although hesitant still, Eon couldn't help but laugh at their intimate position. "We were fighting to kill one another not too long ago, to which you successfully achieved, and now you joyously hug me as your brother?"

"Why not?" Gallah beamed as he released Eon from his hold. "What happens in the past stays in the past is what I always say. Also, don't you remember what I said right before our final moments?"

After a moment of recollection Eon muttered, "You wished for us to be brothers..."

"That's right", he snapped his fingers then shrugged, "Who am I to go against the heavens that granted my wish?"

"The heavens is merely a myth. The possibility of it existing whilst also granting your individual wish is too convenient. Your final words and our situation coinciding should be nothing more than an incredible coincidence."

"Ehhh", Gallah stepped back in disbelief, a teasing smile plastered on his face. "Could it be the shining star of the infamously religious Cresh family is an atheist?"

Eon couldn't help but smirk. "The irony is humorous, I know."

"See, poking fun at one another and laughing, we're like brothers already. So what d'you say, let's leave our past lives in the past."

Gallah extended an eager hand forward. Eon stared at the hand in silence, thoughts racing in his mind. The memories of their tiresome feud surfaced along with the death and slaughter that followed. The voices of his unreasonable family members echoed hauntingly while the faces of those he cared about were always either tired or deceased.

Releasing those thoughts from his mind an unfamiliar smile crept up the corners of his mouth, and it felt good. Eon couldn't remember the last time he felt so free. After letting the relaxation sink in for a moment he exhaled deeply then grasped Gallah's hand.

"Brothers", he nodded.

"Haha! Brothers til the end!" Gallah pulled Eon in and gave him another bear hug. Unlike before, Eon was less hesitant about the hug.

"That's enough of that", Eon patted his back signalling for a release. "We still have to understand our current situation."

"Ah that's right, you have a point." Gallah took a step back.

Together they swerved their heads and properly took in their location. The stone platform they stood on had two wooden swords sprawled on the floor and a rack of wooden weapons sitting atop a patch of grass besides the platform. Past the grass, enclosing them on each side, were three stone walls with symmetrical shield engravings that left an opening for a single pathway. Pillars with curvicular designs lined the sides of the pathway as it extended past the courtyard into an elegantly constructed building.

Gallah whistled. "This is actually a pretty nice place. Could we be rich?"

"That is one possibility but we should search through our memories for more concrete information."

Gallah sat down with his hand on his chin while Eon casually placed his hands behind his back. Racking their brains together in silence, they searched through the puzzling collection of their newly acquired memories. A warm breeze flew by as time passed. Eon was the first to speak.

"Unfortunately… it appears that we are slaves."