Elias Leywin POV
"Dad?" I asked, clutching at his shoulder. "Isn't that Big Brother's name?"
He held me tighter as tears welled up in his eyes.
He shifted gears, accelerating as he made a sharp turn. Rounding the bend, I saw my mother hunched over, hugging a boy with similar auburn hair, as my sister yanked at the hem of her dress.
"Arthur!" my father shouted out at the top of his lungs.
He didn't stop his stampede until he had reached the boy in my mother's arms –My brother, apparently– and slid on his knees, hugging all of us as we all almost toppled over.
"Arthur! My son! Look how big you are. Oh my God! You're back, you're back!"
He held the boy's face in both hands, cupping his cheeks, studying every inch as if to convince himself it wasn't a dream. And even as he embraced Arthur, he kept one arm around me, holding me so tightly I could hardly breathe.
"Dad!" I wheezed, squirming a little. He loosened his grip just enough for me to stand on my own.
I stepped over to stand beside my sister. Together we watched, silent and wide-eyed, as our family began to stitch itself back together right before our eyes.
Arthur Leywin POV
Eventually, we all managed to settle down.
We were gathered in the living room. My mother sat beside me on the couch, holding Eleanor in her lap. Father had pulled up a chair across from us, and Elias was perched on the armrest next to him. Mother was holding both of my hands tightly, her eyes still red and misty. Every time she glanced at my face, fresh tears welled up.
"Are you okay now?" she asked softly. "Did you eat three meals a day? Were you dressing warmly? Sleeping well?" Her voice cracked as she looked me over again. "Oh, my baby... Look how big you are now."
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she smiled and squinted, overwhelmed. Her hand gently stroked my hair before she leaned in and planted a kiss on the crown of my head.
"Thank God you're back," she whispered. "I'm so happy."
Eleanor looked up at Sylvie and me with a mix of curiosity and wonder. The baby dragon sat upright beside me on the couch, still and alert, studying the four unfamiliar humans in the room.
Father's gaze lingered on Sylvie with a curious glint, though he said nothing about her. When his eyes turned back to me, they softened. He kept shaking his head slightly, murmuring again and again how much I had grown. There was a strange mix of joy and sorrow in his expression. It must be a bittersweet thing watching your child grow into someone new, but having missed the journey that brought them there.
A soft thud drew our attention as Elias hopped off the chair's armrest.
"Elias?" Father asked gently, turning to him. "Are you alright?"
He nodded with a small smile before making his way toward me. He stopped just in front of where Mother, Eleanor, and I sat, staring up at me with wide, pleading eyes.
"B-Big Brother?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, almost as if he was testing the words on his tongue.
"Yes, Elias?" I replied, barely able to hide the grin tugging at my lips. His expression was just too cute not to indulge him.
"Can I... pretty please play with your kitty?"
Huh?
Sylvie?
I let out a short laugh. Looking over at the little dragon beside me, tilting my head in a motion of thought.
"Sylvie?"
At the sound of her name, Sylvie's head snapped toward me. "Kyu!" she chirped in response. Then, with a flick of her tail and a light bounce, she pranced to the edge of the sofa and leapt toward Elias.
Her small wings flared open mid-air, and she began hovering in front of him. Another bright "Kyu!" escaped her that translated to "Papa! Look at him!"
If you insist...
I exhaled slowly and focused. Drawing on what limited understanding I had of Sylvia's will, I tried to peer into my little brother, wondering what had caught Sylvie's attention.
Let's see what's so interesting...
My breath caught in my throat as my eyes widened.
HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT!
Why does he have so much mana?
Through my vision, golden light so bright it almost blinded me shimmered faintly around his core, or rather, where his core would form. It was still in its early stages; he hadn't even formed his core yet, but it was undeniable. The mana there was incredibly pure and potent.
"Art, honey?" My mother's voice pulled me back. "Is everything okay?" She looked at me with concern, clearly noticing the stunned look on my face.
"Y-yeah. Yes, I'm okay," I stammered, forcing a smile. But my eyes couldn't help but follow Elias as he and Eleanor began chasing Sylvie, who fluttered around the room in a gleeful spiral.
Then Father spoke again, his tone quieter, more solemn.
"Arthur," he began, "We were devastated after the incident. We didn't know what to believe, and when you reached out to us, spoke into our minds, we thought we were dreaming. Please... tell me. How did you survive the fall?"
Elias Leywin POV
"You've got this, Dad", I shouted, standing next to my mother and Auntie Tabitha, Lilia was chasing Sylvie with my sister. Dad shot me a thumbs up as he got back to stretching.
Uncle Vincent joined us, sitting next to his wife "I can't believe Rey is actually fighting his nearly 8-year-old Son", he let
out an exaggerated sigh.
"Come!" Dad's voice rang out, sharp and challenging as he shifted into an offensive stance.
Arthur moved fast, faster than Dad had expected.
Before Dad could brace himself, Arthur's fist was already heading toward him. I caught the others holding their breaths as father and Son threw down.
Dad's eyes narrowed. Mana started to flow visibly around him as he responded in an instant.
Arthur faked a punch and twisted, going for a high kick. But Dad blocked it with his left arm, though the force knocked his arm back. That little opening could've been Arthur's chance, except Dad used the momentum to counterattack, chopping at Arthur's body with his right hand.
It looked like Arthur was in trouble, but in that moment, he caught Dad's chop with his left forearm and right palm, softening the blow. Then, he slipped inside Dad's guard and grabbed his right arm.
Then Arthur planted a solid kick behind Dad's right knee, and Dad stumbled forward. Arthur's mana-charged body lifted and threw him, but Dad was too quick, regaining his footing almost instantly.
They both stepped back, eyes locked, breaths heavy.
"Well, I'd have to say you're better than all of the mages I've trained! Your old man's going to get serious now! Be careful." He declared as he put on a more serious face.
His two fists ignited, bursting into fiery gloves of scarlet.
My brother smirked at my father as he spoke up himself, "Impressive, Dad... but now it's my turn...Try not to be too surprised!"
Crackling sounds popped in the air around Arthur as his hair stood on end from the electric current coursing through him. There were currents of yellow lightning enveloping him as he prepared to attack.
"What the..." My father had almost stopped his attack after the shock had left him unfocused. Before giving him the chance to recover, Art dashed towards him, leaving a trail of charred grass upon the earth behind him. Brother blinked behind him, concentrating lightning into his fist as he went in for a hook.
A frightening explosion occurred as their fists collided.
And both father and son flew back in opposite directions from the force of the impact.
Getting back on his feet, my father imbued his arm with fire before looking at my brother. They both stood in silence as they glared at one another. Dad moved first, a speed fearsome for his size, Art readied himself as well. As soon as my father got in range, he let out a flurry of precise jabs, which my brother was just able to dodge, each one with minimal movement.
This is Amazing.
I jumped up, pumping my fists in the air as my brother's lightning danced with my father's flames as their fight only continued to intensify.
Dad kept his optimal distance instead of carelessly getting close, as did Big Bro.
Art continued to parry him as he slowly whittled down father, causing his swings and jabs to become dull and sloppy.
Seizing the opportunity, Art ducked under his swing and prepared for an uppercut and just when his fist was about to make contact, my father's knee was positioned just below his jaw.
Both fighters stepped back, their mana dimming, their spar drawing to a close.
"That was awesome!!" I shouted, running toward them at full speed. "You were like zap! crack! whoosh!" I made exaggerated lightning noises, flailing my arms and mimicking Arthur's moves.
He looked down at me with an embarrassed grin, scratching his cheek.
I turned to Dad. "You too, Dad! Though you were more like boom! crackle!" I beamed up at him.
He laughed and scooped me up in one arm. "I'm glad you got to see your old man in action, Lias," he said, flexing his free arm and kissing his bicep dramatically.
I chuckled at the show before glancing down at Arthur.
"Big Brother, can you teach me how to do that?" I asked, wide-eyed. "Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
Before Arthur could answer, Uncle Vincent jumped to his feet, eyes wide and face pale.
"H-he's a D-deviant!" he blurted out, pointing at Arthur like he had just seen a ghost.
~~~
"Come on, El, you do it", I said, nudging my sister
"No, you should Li", she replied, nudging me back
We both stood in front of the door to our big brother's room, staring at it like it was the entrance to a dragon's cave. I puffed my cheeks out and crossed my arms.
"Fine," I huffed. "Scaredy cat."
"I am not!" she hissed.
But I was already pushing open the door.
Inside, it was still a little dark. I tiptoed in and saw him sleeping like a rock. I crept over and poked his shoulder.
"Big Bro... Big Bro!" I called out. "Wake up!"
He didn't move.
I turned to Ellie and waved her over. "Let's both do it!"
Together, we poked and prodded until he finally blinked awake. He looked at us funny for a second before yawning and sitting up.
"Good morning," he mumbled sleepily.
"Good morning!" We both exclaimed at the same time.
"Mama said to wake you up," I added proudly, standing up on his bed, hands on my hips.
Arthur smiled and reached out to pat our heads.
"Thanks, you two."
"Can we go eat now?" I grabbed his hand and tugged him in the direction of the door.
He nodded, and Ellie grabbed his other side, her steps a little bouncy. Sylvie, his fluffy not-quite-a-cat, followed behind us, yawning too.
When we got to the kitchen, the smell made my stomach rumble right away. Bacon. Eggs. Toast. Everything good in the world. I spotted Auntie Tabitha and my mother cooking something as they chatted. Lilia was sitting down at the table already, her legs swinging, obviously waiting for breakfast.
"Good morning, Mum! Auntie Tabatha!" I shouted, proud to be the first to say it.
"G'morning!" Ellie chirped next to me.
"Kyu!" Sylvie added.
"Ah! Ellie and Lias managed to wake you up! I remembered having the hardest time waking you up, even when you were a baby, Art. I swear you slept like a log." My mother chuckled as she placed some eggs onto a large plate.
"Did you sleep well?" Smiled Auntie Tabitha as she tossed the bowl of salad she had in her hands.
"I slept great, Mrs. Helstea, " Arthur answers as he takes a seat opposite Lilia.
"Hi, Ellie, Lias! G-good morning, Arthur... " Lilia softly stammered as her voice trailed off after meeting my brother's gaze.
I smiled, looking at my sister to observe her reaction.
She did the same.
We both cackled slightly as if we've just heard the funniest joke in the world. I then plopped into the chair next to Arthur. Sylvie hopped onto his lap, probably hoping for food. I didn't blame her, I was hungry too after all.
Sylvie seemed super hungry, so Arthur fed her little pieces while laughing. Then Ellie and Lilia both asked if they could try feeding her, too. Sylvie let them. She even licked Lilia's fingers, which made her squeal and giggle.
After we were done eating, Auntie Tabitha clapped her hands. "The carriage is waiting! Let's go, let's go!"
We left the dishes in the sink just like she said and followed her outside. The carriage was so big and fancy! I scrambled in first and got a window seat.
Xyrus was huge! I pressed my face against the glass as we rolled through the streets.
I had lived here my entire life, but it was always exciting to go into the city, especially riding in such a fancy carriage.
Eventually, we came to a stop. Our driver parked us on the side of the walkway that was on the edge of the fashion part of the city.
I should really come here more often.
My eyes drifted amongst the numerous stores as a sudden realisation dawned on me.
"I'm... shopping with the Girls", I murmur slowly as I think aloud, you could hear the dread and horror slowly crawling up my voice as it got a pitch higher
I ran over –seeking salvation in the form of my brother, almost as if his presence here would save me from the hell awaiting us– and grabbed one side of his robe "Art, save me! They are coming! They got me trapped!" I begged pleadingly.
He reached down and looked at me with a confused expression, "Lias?"
"We need to go before-" I Elaborate, panicked. Alas, it was not to be, as the Demon Lord that would bound us to his hell came along to interrupt us from salvation.
"Art, Lias, my sweeties." The Demon Lor— Mother said menacingly as she gripped the back of my shirt, and proceeded to throw me in the deepest pits of Hell, doomed with eternal damnation
Ah, it's over...
"NOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as my arms and legs flailed around.
A look of horror overcame my brother as reality sunk in.
"Damn you, Brother! You were supposed to save me!" I accused him as I was dragged by my collar into the nearest store by my Demon-Lord-of-A-Mother as Lilia and Auntie Tabitha did the same for him, pulling him forward with an arm each, with Ellie trailing behind, Sylvie in her arms.
~~~
The store was... sparkly.
I squinted as we stepped inside, blinking like I'd been hit by a flash spell. Everything was white, gold, or pink. Some weird perfume attacked my nose like I had personally offended its entire bloodline. I coughed dramatically, but no one paid me any attention.
"We'll start with Elias," Mum declared, already flipping through a rack of tiny shirts like she was picking weapons off a wall.
"Noooo..." I protested, dramatically falling onto my knees, hands on the floor and head hung low, looking every part like a person who just found out that his entire life was a lie.
"Come now, Dear, it'll be quick!" Auntie Tabitha said, clearly lying. "You always say that..." I groaned before I turned to Arthur again. "Now's our chance. If we both run in opposite directions, they can't catch us both."
Arthur just sighed and started unbuttoning his shirt, as well as removing his elvan robe, a face like that of a man on the verge of losing everything he has fought in war after encountering an unbeatable opponent, and is forced to sacrifice himself for the one he loved.
Traitor.
The next half hour, or maybe year?, was a blur of shirts, pants, shoes, and those weird little jackets with no sleeves. I lost track after the seventh outfit. Mum would hold things up and go, "Oooh! You'd look adorable in this!" while Auntie Tabitha kept adding more stuff like we were building an army, not a wardrobe.
Ellie and Lilia were the worst.
They kept hanging me from chains of damnation and saying things like, "Suffer under the might of the Dragon King Chains." and "Thy Chains that bound thee linked the Heavens to the Earth! There is no escape for you! MUWAHAHAHAHA!"
I would later find out that they actually said:
"Try this one, Lias!" or "This colour matches your eyes!" or "You'll look just like Arthur!"
Like that last one was a good thing... If they were even truthful.
All I remembered were the echoing cries of the damned and the manic laughter of evil demons.
"No more!" I cried, arms spread wide as I tried to block the —immense beam of pure destruction raining down upon me, large enough to turn a nation into ashes, all in a futile effort in order to protect the one I lov— dressing room doorway. "I'm not your puppet!"
"Lias! " Arthur called from his own corner of Hell —where the demon in the form of Lilia was chaining him up— holding up a cravat to his neck like it was some sort of torture device with a maniacal grin plastering her face. "They got me too."
I blinked at him. "We'll never make it out of here alive, will we?"
He just shook his head.
~~~
Eventually, we were granted our freedom, but I will never forget the horrors that occurred that day.
We arrived back home, both my physical and mental strength depleted after the gruesome torture that I had endured.
"I never thought shopping could be so utterly tiring," Art groaned, falling down onto a nearby sofa.
I did the same, sitting next to my brother as his not-quite-a-cat bond frees itself from my sister's grasp, flying towards her exhausted master.
"Don't wanna go ever again..." I yawned out, as I kicked my feet in frustration.
As if hearing our complaints, Uncle Vincent and Auntie Tabitha sat down across from us.
"HAHA! I heard you got beat up by a bunch of women today, Arthur!" Vincent exclaimed.
He feebly nodded while Auntie Tabitha smirked and looked at Mother, "That little prodigy of yours isn't as big of a deal as I thought he was." Lilia and Ellie giggled at this.
"I will admit that a woman's endurance can not be matched when they're out shopping." He wryly refuted, his tone like that of a war veteran.
My father and Vincent laughed harder at this and nodded their heads in agreement.
The sound of a doorbell followed by a couple of knocks got everyone's attention.
"Ah! Looks like she's here!" Vincent perked up.
The look on everyone else's faces told me that Vincent was the only one who knew what was going on.
Vincent came back, leading an elderly woman into the dining room.
"Rey, Alice, Arthur, I know you guys said that you want to put off school for later, but I just couldn't hold it in. Everyone. Meet Cynthia Goodsky! She's the Director of Xyrus Academy."
Noticing the slight twinge of annoyance on Art's face, he stood up and walked towards the pair. Vincent immediately continued, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, "Don't worry, I didn't bring her here to make you go to school right away. I just wanted her to meet you."
The Director gave him a smile that I couldn't quite understand the meaning of, and held out her hand to my brother. "Nice to finally meet you, Arthur."
WC – 3333
Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊
All Criticism and feedback are welcome. Any suggestions for the story or plot are also more than welcome.
Been playing Pokémon Unbound recently, you should all check it out, it has a fantastic story and toggleable difficulties, so give it a go if you're a fan of Pokémon games.
Special Thanks to LancelotDragonroad for Editing this Chapter.
The next chapter is out at 10 Likes or Sunday.
Rius out.