Theo couldn't speak. Couldn't think. It felt like his entire body had hollowed out starting from his heart, leaving behind only devastation.

It's not Victor. It can't be. Not when he was wearing that strange armor. Not when his hair fell to his shoulders, instead of short and neat as Theo remembered. But those eyes – he could never mistake them.

"How do you know Theo?" Zenith demanded, but his voice sounded distant, like Theo was hearing it underwater.

"I should be asking you that question, homunculus." The voice might be harsher than Theo remembered, but was otherwise the same. Low, surprisingly quiet.

He gazed over Zenith as if Zenith didn't exist. As if nothing existed except Theo. Those eyes pierced Theo's, burning with an intensity that made Theo's throat seize.

"Theo. I'm sorry it's taken me this long, but I'm finally back."

Theo tried to speak, but no words came out. Only a violent shudder, sweeping out from his chest and sending him to his knees.

"Theo!" Zenith knelt in front of him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Get your filthy hands off him, homunculus." Though Victor's voice was quiet as ever, the hate in it seared like poison.

"You dare – what gives you the right?" Zenith whirled toward Victor.

"Easy." Victor's face remained impassive. "I'm his brother."

"Brother?" Zeith echoed, more astonished than Theo had ever heard him. "Is this true?"

Theo took a breath. The world spun around him, a muddy blur. He feared that if he tried to speak, only vomit would come out – or a scream, endless.

But he had to answer Zenith somehow. So he nodded, once, twice. Even that simple movement took all his effort.

Zenith's grip tightened. Theo tried to focus on his armor digging into his skin, tried to let it anchor him. Anything to keep himself from falling to pieces.

"I'm Victor Hua," Victor said. "A soldier of the Infernal Legion."

The Infernal Legion. The words struck Theo like bullets, piercing the haze around him. But he couldn't comprehend their meaning, not yet.

"What do you mean? You're a wizard! A human!" Darian yelled.

"I won't deny that." When Victor took a step forward, Darian tensed. "But this armor lets me fight."

"I see...so it's a demonic armor." Lodo spoke up from behind him, breathing harshly. "You were using your wizardry to augment it, not yourself. But such armors tremendously drain the Levia of even demons. What it must do to a human...."

"It's a small price to pay for the power to fight." Victor didn't glance back at Lodo. "I won't be just another wizard who snivels behind his familiar like a coward."

Another shiver wracked Theo's body. If it weren't for Zenith's firm grip, he'd have collapsed into a puddle on the floor. Collapsed and drained away, like water from a broken glass.....

Step by step, Victor approached. Zenith shifted in front of him, sword raised. Victor looked down at him with a faintly bored expression.

"Out of my way."

"Never." His armor creaking, Zenith rose to his feet.

"I don't care about you." An icy edge entered Victor's voice. "I'm here for Theo."

"I won't let you hurt him!"

"Hurt him," Victor repeated, quiet, almost disbelieving. Then his arm lashed out and he backhanded Zenith across the face.

Theo screamed, high and thin, but Zenith remained silent. He lurched, and Victor shoved him aside. Now nothing stood between him and Theo.

"The homunculus thinks I'm going to hurt you. Can't fault it for its programming, I suppose." Victor sounded almost contemplative. "But that's the furthest thing from the truth."

Theo's heart lodged in his throat when Victor extended his hand. A large hand, covered with spiked black armor. Not at all the same as – as back then, when they ran through the forest and Victor reached back for him and urged him to hurry up, slowpoke -

"All I want is to be with you again, Theo. Come with me."

Those simple words cut Theo far worse than any sword. At last, his voice came out. 

"What...what do you...?"

"It's as I said. Come with me."

"Come...where?"

"The Infernal Legion."

"What...." Theo's head spun. "Why?"

"I've learned something in my time since leaving home," Victor said, practically conversational. "And it's that power is what matters most.  Without the power to protect what is precious to you, you're useless."

He jerked his shoulder toward Darian, who started. "You joined with the useless prince and her feeble little band because you didn't know any better. But they won't lead you anywhere. The Infernal Legion holds the true power in Tielos. Come with me, and we will keep you safe."

"Quit spewing bullshit!" Darian shouted, pointing her rapier. "What kind of wizard willingly joins the Infernal Legion?"

Victor's lip curled, just a fraction. "No power, so you resort to sanctimony instead." His eyes slid back toward Theo. "Theo. Please, let me protect you."

Protect you. Zenith had promised the same thing. On one knee, sword planted before him. Declaring that he would gladly risk his body to keep Theo safe. And Theo had seen him in action enough times to know it was true. All the times Zenith had shielded him, taken injuries meant for him....

Even now, against Victor. His brother, finally back, holding out a hand to him. Wanting him to come.

All those years, some part of Theo deep inside – a part he didn't want to admit existed, even to himself – had felt...betrayed...by Victor. Because Victor hadn't said goodbye. Because Victor hadn't glanced back once. Because...because Victor hadn't taken him along.

Now – now –

Victor's left hand suddenly shot behind him, catching the blade of Zenith's sword. Over Victor's shoulder, Theo saw the knight's white face, quivering eyes.

"I'm talking to my brother," Victor said, cold as ice. "Not that I'd expect a machine to understand."

His grip tightened around the sword, cracking the armor on his hand. Then he lashed his leg out and kicked Zenith in the stomach. Crying out, Zenith staggered and released the sword. Victor contemptuously tossed the sword aside.

He turned back toward Theo. Through it all, he hadn't once moved his right hand.

Theo stared at the hand until his vision blurred. Then he caught movement behind Victor, and his vision refocused: on Zenith, struggling to rise.

Victor had called Zenith a machine. A filthy homunculus. Sneered about his programming. Something unfurled in Theo's chest, like a blossoming flower. Not his Levia, but –

Anger.

He'd never felt this way before. Even in his whiniest moments as a kid, he couldn't bring himself to really get angry at Victor.

But now Theo only had to think about Zenith pledging to protect him, Zenith entranced by the glass jellyfish, Zenith shyly, awkwardly saying he wouldn't mind hanging out again. Not just Zenith. He thought of Lodo offering tea, encouraging him to study. Darian teasing Lodo with the laser pointer, apologizing to Theo for involving him in her battle.

As the anger burned, his Levia began to rise within him like the sun. It gave Theo the strength to stand up.

Victor blinked. Then for the first time, he smiled. The exact same smile from the forest in their childhood.

The breath caught in Theo's throat, but his Levia didn't waver. Inch by inch, he lifted his trembling hand.

Victor's smile widened, became expectant.

Theo shoved Victor's hand aside.

"What?" The naked hurt on Victor's face pierced Theo through the heart. But he didn't regret it. He wouldn't.

"Victor," he said. His voice came out shaky, but recognizable this time. "I'm sorry, but..I think you're wrong."

"What do you mean?" 

"You're wrong," Theo said again, relieved by how firm he sounded. "Power isn't what matters the most. You've hurt my friends. I...I won't go with you."

Victor breathed in sharply. "What are you saying?"

"I mean it." A headache began to pound in Theo's skull, but he clenched his hands into fists and didn't stop glaring Victor down. "I'm not coming with you."

For a moment, Victor stared speechless at Theo. Then his eyes narrowed, smoldering with fury like live coals. 

"I see. They've already gotten their claws to you, hm? Brainwashed you. Well, sit tight, Theo. I'm going to save you."

Theo couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I'm not brainwashed!"

"My brother isn't an idiot. He would never back a hopeless cause of his own volition." Victor spread his arms. "Mark my words, Theo, I will bring you back."

His Levia surged, cold and terrible, and a diagram spread beneath his feet. Its glow danced in his eyes, turning them mad, fervent. As he opened his hands, purple flames appeared in each palm, radiating a power that crawled across Theo's skin like icy fingers.

"Theo!" Zenith struggled to his feet behind Victor. Darian raised her rapier, and Lodovico advanced with his claws outstretched.

Theo would answer their resolve. Glaring at Victor, he summoned his own Levia. The warm light spilled through his veins, chasing away Victor's icy power. The best he could do was the basic strengthening spell, but he'd pour every last scrap of his Levia into it.

But before he could cast it, a new power surged behind him.

It beat against his back like scorching sunlight. Theo whirled around to see a diagram spreading across the wall, its scarlet glow devouring the darkness.

Victor snarled and flung the fire in his fists, but it was too late. The dark arena he had created shattered into pieces, and in poured the blazing sun of the Tielan sky.

Another scarlet diagram appeared in front of Theo. The purple flames struck it and glanced off, scattering into sparks.

Heart hammering, Theo looked up.

The floating bookshelves of Meg's arena had lined up like a staircase. And striding down them came Meg herself. When she reached the bottom-most bookshelf, she leaped gracefully to the arena's platform floor.

The instant she landed, a new circle flared beneath her. Matching circles appeared below Zenith, Darian, and Lodo. Zenith rose to his feet, sword back in hand. Darian pointed her rapier, crackling with lightning. Lodo transformed into an enormous cat, baring razor-sharp fangs.

The three of them circled Victor, who watched them warily. Meg's power throbbed in the air, so hot sweat stung Theo's skin.

"You're surrounded," Meg declared. "Your arena is gone. I'd say it's time for you to give up."

"Is that so." Victor sounded calm as ever.

Meg snapped her fingers. Lodo leaped at Victor -

Only for a new diagram to burst beneath Victor and swallow him in a fount of purple light. The sudden blast of power sent Lodo flying backward, hitting the floor with a yowl.

When the light died, Victor was gone. No sign he'd ever been there.

Suddenly dizzy, Theo fell to his knees. Zenith ran to his side, and when he crouched down, Theo flung his arms around him and buried his face into the knight's armored chest, desperate to cling to something, anything.

Something he'd never have to let go.