Battle Between Brothers

"You know you can't kill us!" Marcus shouted as Nicholas helped him stand, healing him in the process.

"Is that you?" Marcus asked his brother, surprised that the weak Nicholas could heal his injuries.

"Yes, but I'm giving it all I've got." Nicholas said in an attempt to cover up the fact that he was capable of much more than his brothers had thought.

"We can't kill you, but we can make you hurt." Zeph chuckled as their surroundings burst into flames, moving closer and closer to the two younger princes.

"You know father will not approve of this." Nicholas called out from beyond the flames as his power itched to be released from their bindings.

"Sure, go cry to father, he is sick and will die soon. I suggest you make the most of what you have, Prince Nicholas." Owain laughed at Nicholas as he thought of the younger prince's faith.

Nicholas didn't miss out on the fact that Zeph was doing all the damage, while Owain simply stood and watched on the side.

He could sense that Owain's mana was still not a level at which he could use Cruor magic. It seemed that he had done more damage than he had expected.

"Marcus, look, do you notice anything off?" Nicholas nodded towards Owain, hoping that Marcus would understand what he was trying to say.

When Marcus stared at him blankly, Nicholas sighed and shook his head.

"Owain is still too weak, he looks physically well, but look at his expression and at his eyes, it's missing the luster that mana gives a mage." Nicholas explained, he didn't know how he knew what he was saying, only that it was true.

"Can you do something to distract them? I think I can summon enough magic to help us escape." Marcus said as Zeph and Owain continued to revel in what they believed to be their victory.

"I'll do what I can." Nicholas nodded as he observed Owain and Zeph.

The two elder brothers thought so little of Nicholas and Marcus that they ignored the two who were huddled, whispering among themselves.

"Once they are distracted, make a run for the servant's passage." Marcus told his older brother. "I can't hold it for long. They won't touch me, but you, they will torture you brother."

Nicholas suddenly winced as a flame touched his shoulder, his reaction made Owain and Zeph laugh even louder.

"Do none of the ministers or father's guards hear this?" Nicholas asked as he looked around the hallway.

"They do, but they are oftentimes too scared." Marcus grumbled as he touched the ground and closed his eyes, focusing on his magic.

Nicholas knew that his youngest brother, Marcus, was of the Cibus clan. Mages that were known for their ability to cultivate and grow plants. They also had a special touch when it came to animals, even wild and dark beasts listened to them.

"Someone might hear what you are doing, aren't you scared?" Nicholas called out, hopefully drawing Zeph's and Owains attention to him.

"They won't touch us. I have more to lose if I kill you, you know as well as I do that no one will bother to stop us, Nicholas." Zeph hissed as the flames closed in on Nicholas and Marcus.

"Poor Princes Nicholas and Marcus, motherless spawns of the king." Owain's laugh sent a chill through Nicholas' spine. He had not known that Marcus' mother had passed.

"Shut up!" Marcus screamed as Nicholas felt the mana flowing through him increase.

Nicholas worried that his brother would kill himself in their attempt to escape, so he siphoned some of his own mana into Marcus.

It seemed that his brother did not notice the increase in his power due to his anger.

"Why? You killed your mother, your mother died of heartbreak because father loved Nicholas' mother too much. I don't know why you side with him, his mother killed yours." Owain shouted through the cracking of the flames as it began to consume the prince's clothes and the tapestries and paintings that hung from the walls.

"It's not his fault!" Marcus shouted as half his body began to burn.

Nicholas watched as Zeph increased the size of the flames as it now consumed most of the hallway that they were in.

"Such a pity, I liked those paintings." Zeph remarked as he looked at the burning paintings on the walls.

"Now!" Marcus shouted at Nicholas who threw himself through the fire, tackling Zhep.

Animals came thundering down the halls and plants grew from the ground.

Zeph quickly threw Nicholas off of him as he raised a wall to stop the animals and other creatures from attacking them.

Owain on the other hand attacked Marcus, knocking the younger boy on the floor, stopping him from doing anymore magic.

Unwilling to leave Marcus behind, Nicholas ran over and took out a knife that he had stashed in his pocket for safety. He raised it and moved to stab Owain, only to be flung away by a blast of Cruor Magic by Zeph.

"Did you two really think you could take me and Owain on?" Zeph asked as he walked up to Nicholas who was crawling towards a barely conscious Marcus.

Flames appeared around Zeph as Owain chuckled and stood up.

"The idiots are suddenly brave." Owain mocked as he spat at Nicholas who was not holding Marcus' hand, healing him.

"You are both lucky that we cannot kill you, but trust me, the moment father passes I'm coming after you both!" Owain shouted as they inched closer.

Nicholas shook Marcus trying to get his brother to fully regain consciousness, but to no avail. He was still struggling to stay up.

"We might not be able to kill them now, but we can sure as hell make it hurt." Zeph said with a cold smile as the flames moved forward, threatening to burn the two younger princes.

Out of desperation, Nicholas was left with no other option. He took off two limiters and placed them in his pockets, making sure that they wouldn't be lost.

He closed his eyes and felt for his magic, he prayed to whatever gods were out there to save him and Marcus.

All of a sudden he felt his magic coming from the earth itself.

Cruor magic.

Nicholas thought to himself as a strong blast for blue energy stopped the flames from spreading and threw back Zeph and Owain, knocking them both unconscious.

Seeing that both Princes Zeph and Owain were unconscious, Regan and Regina rushed to Nicholas' side, helping the prince up.

"Get Marcus' people to take him to safety, we need to get out of here." Nicholas ordered the twins.

Regan nodded and rushed to get Marcus' ministers.

Regina on the other hand helped Nicholas escape into the servants' tunnels.

"If anyone asks, it was my father." Nicholas instructed as they rushed through the silent halls that had been abandoned due to the fight between the brothers.