Rustling sounds disturbed the would be silent night as a steady breeze blew through the leaves of the enormous trees that clouded the sky view over the Lavender Beds. Faint, patterned clanking sounds could be heard slowly approaching a large cottage as a tall and well-built male steadily made his return home. The man seemed unconcerned about the cold breeze colliding with his almost completely bare chest as he continued his steady pace. As he approached the gateway to the building, the moonlight exposed itself past the towering trees, illuminating the area and revealing the man's long silver hair and icy blue eyes as he neared the door.
Steadily reaching for the handle, he came to a sudden halt as he heard an abrupt sound from behind him and quickly shot his head to the side with well honed reflexes. Two short strands of hair gently fell to the ground as the swift, sharp object that separated them became impaled in the wooden door frame. Quickly turning to look for the cause of this interruption, the man found no trace of the source of this object. He plucked the small object from the wooden frame and held it up into the moonlight as he inspected it. It was a small, black blade with a unique diamond-like design suggesting it was of Doman design.
"Well look at you Leo, you're all grown up." The silver haired male quickly dropped the object and turned back a second time towards the gruff voice he heard, quickly drawing his lance as he saw a figure step slowly towards him. The stranger ran his hands though his dark, unkempt hair, brushing it back to reveal piercing bright topaz eyes with a scar running across his face. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" The intruder continued with a mocking grin spread across his face. Leo gazed at the man, studying his face for a moment before he finally came to a conclusion.
"...Alex." He said coldly, leering at the man with his lance still firmly gripped in his hands.
There was a long pause as the two locked eyes, the swaying leaves and grass the only things moving in the area as a high tension remained ever growing between the two.
"Oh, so you do remember. For a moment there I thought you'd forgotten about your dear older brother." Alex quipped.
"You're no brother of mine." Leo replied, his voice still smooth and cold as he continued to stare at the man with a trace of malice in his eyes.
"What's it been, twelve years? Thirteen? Don't say you haven't missed me in all this time." Alex continued, clearly ignoring Leo's comment.
"You betrayed father and abandoned us all. For what reason would I have to miss you?" Leo asked. Although he maintained a cool composure, he could feel a sense of anger beginning to rile up inside him.
"Really? Well I don't see you slaving over a hot stove for that old man right now, do I? I'm guessing you ditched that run down restaurant yourself." Alex retorted.
"Save it, you know nothing about me." Leo replied, his voice almost slipping into a growl for a moment.
"Oh really? It just so happens I know a lot about you." Alex began. "I've heard you've been getting mixed up in all this trouble with Primals and now dragons. I know you've also been adventuring with the so called 'Warrior of Light'. Hell I even heard you got married! What do they call you now? Mr. 'Leo Blake' is it?" Leo clenched tighter onto the handle of his lance, his muscles tensing as Alex went on. "I can't believe you took your wife's name, and married an Au Ra of all races." Alex scoffed before he was quickly interrupted.
"Do not mock her or her race!" Leo roared, finally losing his cool as he quickly took a step forward. As if already anticipating his movements, Alex quickly drew a set of twin blades from beneath his coat and prepared a battle stance before Leo's foot had managed to return to the ground. "Easy boy, remember how this went last time." Alex warned.
"I'm not just a boy anymore." Leo replied, regaining some composure and readying his lance as if issuing a challenge. Alex relaxed from his stance and closed his eyes for a moment, giving a brief chuckle as he unsheathed his blades.
"Is that so? Well I don't have any use for these. I'll take you down bare handed." Alex replied in his smug, gruff voice before motioning towards Leo. Leo stood there hesitant for a moment, wondering what his brother could be planning by laying down his weapons. After a moment's consideration, Leo tightened his grip on his weapon and leaped forward with a mighty swing and bellowing roar.
Alex dodged the strike with near lightning speed, Leo's attack doing little other than batting wind against Alex's face with the force of his swing.
"Is that the best you've got?" Alex provoked as Leo stepped back readying for another attack.
"I haven't even begun." He replied smoothly as he lunged his lance forward, followed by a calculated barrage of swipes. Alex calmly stepped to the side avoiding the first lunge then quickly bent down backwards, ducking under first swing, lifting his legs into the air and using his arms to thrust himself over the next. He seemed to dodge each attack almost effortlessly yet denied any opening he was given for a counter attack, as if he was merely studying Leo's movements and skills. Spinning and jumping as he attacked, Leo moved with swift and deadly precision, yet none of his attacks seemed to connect.
"Those are some fancy moves, I'll give you that.." Alex began as Leo thrusted his weapon towards him. Alex made a rapid jump that seemed near invisible to the naked eye and landed straight on top of the blade of Leo's lance. "But it's still not enough to beat me." Alex finished. Leo's eyes widened momentarily at the site of his brother perched atop the weapon he was still holding in front of him. Regaining his senses, Leo hastily swung his weapon upwards then shot up into the air with a powerful jump before plummeting down lance first towards the ground with a small explosion following the impact. Leo stood up from the kneeling position he landed in to find nothing but smoke and singed grass, along debris from what was once a wooden fence surrounding the front yard. As the smoke settled, he saw a figure dusting off the dirt from his clothes.
"Like I said, still not enough." Alex repeated. Leo swung his lance again, but Alex was more than prepared for this. With near impossible precision, Alex clenched his hand into a fist and punched the face of the blade, the incredible force behind it causing the lance to be sent flying out of Leo's hands. Before Leo could react however, Alex charged forward, driving his other fist into Leo's exposed stomach and causing him to be sent flying back several feet before crashing against the building's door.
"...What do you want from me?" Leo let out in a soft growl as he staggered to his knees.
"I just want a little information is all." He answered, walking forward slowly and offering a hand to his defeated brother. Leo looked away hesitantly for a moment before reluctantly grabbing onto Alex's hand and lifting himself to his feet.
"On what?" Leo asked. Alex just grinned.
"I know you're in league with a group of adventurers, running errands and playing hero all over Eorzea. I believe you and I have a mutual friend." Alex explained as he pulled the once impaled lance from the ground and handed it over to Leo who was now sitting on a bench by a large fountain, resting from their bout.
"I highly doubt that." He replied, grabbing the weapon that was handed to him and resting it by his side.
"Really? She's a Miqo'te by the name of Robyn Mercer. Are you sure you haven't seen her?" Alex asked with a sense of doubt in his voice. Leo looked away, confused about how to proceed.
"And what do you want with her?" He asked.
"I want to find her." Alex began.
"I looked after her for 7 years, then the brat decided just to run off and become an adventurer. I need to find her and make sure she's safe. I know she stayed within Eorzea and that she's apparently been seen with an Elezen girl, along with a silver haired Dragoon, which I assume to be you." He explained.
"Running off? I guess she takes after you then.." Leo muttered under his breath before standing to his feet. "It's true that she is an ally of mine, but she's been gone for quite some time and has rarely visited the company castle lately. I don't know where she is, so I cannot help you." He answered.
"Well in that case.." Alex started as he swung an arm around Leo, resting it on his shoulder. "You best get used to having your dear older brother around, because I'm not leaving until I've found her. Besides, I don't really have anywhere else to stay while I search around here anyway. So are you going to invite me in for a drink or what?" Alex asked, not giving Leo any hint of a choice in the matter. Leo grudgingly led them to the splintered remains of the door he had previously crashed into where they were suddenly greeted by his wife Juria after entering.
"Leo! W-who is this man and why were you two fighting?" She shouted in a concerned manner. Leo closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh before answering. "It's a long story..."