Mother's son

Talking and laughing with my family after so many years of separation felt incredibly good. They were asking me questions about the last seven years which I swiftly avoided, making them tell me what I had missed instead. I kind of regretted it though, the conversation gradually grew darker, despite avoiding risky topics at all costs.

“Eldest brother Ryuu formed The Order of Leviathan, remember?”

I nodded. Ryuu had formed this special division after his return from the Seven Golden Eclipses. He continued traveling to personally look for individuals he saw fit to protect this empire's people. Because of this everyone respected them, fearing they'd insult my brother by disrespecting his men. This special division had already proven its worth, the battles they had fought were always turned into parades of victory by them.

Suddenly, a curtain of seriousness and ambition landed on Jin's face. It was a rare sight for my usually playful, bubbly brother.

“They've recently experienced quite a few lost battles... Five whole squads have been wiped out and the number of civil casualties is bone-chilling.” It had become silent everywhere. No one dared to make a sound. Neither we nor any of the servants. I gulped the feeling of disgust down.

I had been there.

3 months ago. The Nation of Liu, in the capital, to be exact. It happened then: The Wei Military attacked, stealing the lives of so many innocent people. It had all begun so peacefully. Meilani and I had gone there to visit the infamous festivals of the people. The atmosphere, the music, and all those happy faces... Everything was perfect until all that was destroyed. Utter chaos broke out as soon as the first body fell dead to the ground. Death by the hands of filthy, barbaric men. They set buildings on fire, stole valuable items, and killed anyone who tried to resist and protect their loved ones from them. They didn't make a difference between adults and children – women and men. No, that didn't matter to them. Anyone who dared to disobey and stand in their way to victory was declared an enemy that had to be eliminated. Innocent people were decapitated on the spot, stabbed to death, or forced to attack one of their own. It was horrific. Disturbing. The sky was crying that day, stars were falling like rain. Proof of what the Wei had done, proof of how many lives they had taken. I'd never been able to forget the things I saw that day. Especially the face of the monster I saw. Wei Xing. The only son of Wei Qiang, President of the Republic of Wei. I had seen him. Standing there, grinning like a madman with the bloody decapitated head of Prime Minister Liu YanYang. A truly mortifying sight to behold.

My face twisted in pain, thinking about the number of men my brother must have lost that day. I had been on the west side – he was on the east. It was even worst there.

“I... ”, Jin's voice was filled with sorrow, pain, but most of all... determination. His icy blue eyes were glowing dangerously, hatred so deep was intensifying the light coming from them.

“I'll become a man worthy of being a member of the Order and then...”, he paused and continued whispering. “And then I will avenge his men for him.”

“Do you think he'll be fine?”, I asked my father, my voice barely audible. We were done with breakfast and my brothers had already left. I felt his big, warm hand on my shoulder. He smiled at me reassuringly. “Do you want to hear the answer you want or my honest thoughts?”

The corners of my lips twitched a little.

“Both.”

“Jin will be fine.”

“And your honest opinion?”

“Your brother will be fine. I do not think we have to worry about him." I turned around to look at my father in surprise.

“How are you so sure about that? He would do everything for Ryuu. It's both admiration and guilt that drives him. Admiration for our brother's strength and guilt for not being able to do anything back then. That combination might be his death sentence at last.” He smiled, making the wrinkles around his eyes become visible. A faint trace of longing and sadness was glowing in his orbs.

“I, too, was once driven by those feelings." I listened to his words and my mind immediately wandered to the thirteen years of horror Alexandria had been forced to go through.

"I stood no chance against those emotions, even today I can not help but regret not being able to save my younger brother from himself. But...", his cyan eyes mirrored mine. "Your mother saved me. She, who never let anything or anybody defeat her. She, who always looked me directly in the eye with unwavering love." At that moment, I had to avert my gaze. My father's expression was one that wasn't meant for me to see.

"He will be fine. After all, he is your mother's son. Even now, she will protect him."

I was still young when my mother disappeared, but I remembered a lot of things. The warmth of her heart, courageous and beautiful, was one of them. That's why I believed my father.