He was prepared, the iron was ready to stain my blood for the rest of eternity. My ankles were burning, my hands were hurting, my head was going around in circles and my body was about to give up.

I... was about to give up...

"No, I still can go another round! I won't stop here! COME AT MEE YOU ASS!"

I stood up again. my feet were firmly stucked to the ground and my voice came as it never did before. 

"This is it... I'M TAKING YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

The boy fell miserably to the ground as he tried to take his little brother by the power of gravity.

"Are you happy? You tripped now you're sucking the dust. Is this your way of teaching me how to be a real man Egan?"

"DON'T... CALL ME... THAT! AHHHGSHHH"

"Stop. Don't ridicule yourself even more". He waved his sword as the spirits of the wind took care of the impact of his bronze. It made a great sound, good enough to scare the birds and other nearby creatures.

But the young man next to him wasn't scared at all. He was getting bright red and mad as a lion would.

"You simply don't know when to give up".

"Ugh... doesn't matter if you were blessed by Hera with the spirits of the wind, you're still a brat that needs to learn how to properly talk to his elders... Philemon".

"It's been four years since we met each other, I'm not the same as I was before... therefore I'm not going to get shy with you anymore".

"Ha... look at this kid talking... you're seven years-old for Hera's sake, and I'm a full grown up sixteen year-old man. So that means..."

"That means a seven year-old beat the crap out of you".

"eehh. Careful boy".

"Sorry grown up man, I'm still a kid as you said, therefore I don't know how to say proper words as you had tought me".

"For Hera's sake let's just continue or the old man is going to make us run for another two hours".

"I can pretty much agree with that...".

It had been already four years since that fated encounter of the two boys. One seeking for a family and the other seeking to protect someone. The little boy now had a name: it was Philemon, and his now actual brother Evan, had sworn to take care of him and teach him every single thing he knew about life and war in Dezierya.

Evan had already declined the offer to become a royal trainee, and instead, he decided to fall in love with the forest even more... and teach that same love to Phil, who seemed to enjoy whatever he did.

Phil had become everything for him at that point... there was no going back. And at the same time, without realizing it, Evan also became everything for Phil... 

"For the love of me, what are you two doing?"

"Dad! We are training as you told us to!"

"We were just practicing".

"Yeah I know that, but, do you know what time is it already? I told you to train for two hours not for five".

"What's the difference?"

"Eg... Evan, just shut up, your mom wants you two for dinner right now".

"Understood father". Said Phil as he took his sword and carried it with him.

"Bu-but".

"Come on Evan, we won't wait for you, if you want to starve in the forest then is your option!".

"I-I'm coming". His eyes were angrily looking at me. I knew that in his heart, he was still blaming me... but I wouldn't blame them... after all, it was neither one of my parent's fault.

He took Phil on his back and went ahead of me. I rubbed my eyes and thought: "Well, at least he won't ever chase Phil out of the house".

When we arrived at home, mom had already gone to bed and the food was still untouched. The three of us sat down all over the table. We never talked... we just... ate.

"I-ah... I'm finished, good night", I said.

"It's getting late... Philemon, go with your brother".

And, like a soldier whose life is on the line, Phil just obeyed and shut up. Sometimes I hated that he couldn't act on his own, neverthless, other times, I just wish he would never leave my side... so I could watch over him... and protect him...

And some other times... I felt like the one being protected.

"Phil, do you wanna sleep with me?"

"I'm a grown up now, I don't need a human pillow".

"But I do, come on. Don't make me feel lonely, I need my little brother".

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. Yes."

"Well then, say that I'm the most awesome swordman in the world and that you could never do anyhting without me".

"Really? Then... I'm the most awesome swordman in the world and you could never do anything without me".

He hit me in the shin, rolled his eyes and then went to his bed.

"Agh!, sorry?"

Phil didn't act like a kid at all, he would scold me for having too much fun or would just say nothing to me when training. He would stand up inmediately when falling down, or would just shut up when receiving an order. He was not cute at all... until you hurted his ego.

He was still a kid after all...

"Phil, are you mad?", I received no answer.

"Phil, are you really, really mad?", he wouldn't turn to me.

"Phil, I'm going to sleep already", he sink into his blanket.

"Wha-what are you doing?!".

"I'm sleeping".

"Wh-wg-yo-NO. Get off of me, I hate you".

"That's ok, I also hate me".

"..."

"..."

At the time I said that, I never thought Phil would react like that, I think I was only joking for him to say something like: "I don't care go drown in a river", ha... but, well... I underestimated him again. Because I felt like crying for the first time in a while.

"Evan..."

"Hmm?"

"I was only joking, I don't hate you".

"Mhmm".

"Evan?".

"Hmmhm?"

"Are you crying?"

"Mhm..."

"Good night... big brother".

I think the moon was really pretty that night, because my eyes were really swollen and I couldn't open them...