The river was flowing fast. The scenery whipped by at a breakneck speed, its force irresistible. Between the spray of the water and taking in what had just happened, it was hard to breathe.
Contrary to its name, the Sunshine Forest was not bright at present. The bank of the river was dotted with tall trees. But even so, moonlight shone through, penetrating the canopy. As the beams fell on the water, it sparkled. Even through the barrier of the branches, bright, twinkling stars could be seen.
None of this lightened Claus' mood.
Since having jumped into the river with his brother, Claus had found himself being swept downstream. It was dangerous; they had no idea where they might end up, and they could not swim against the river even if they wanted to. Each time the river meandered, it threatened to rush them against some rocks. Even through the roar of the river, Claus could make out whimpers and sobs behind him.
But it was nothing compared to the danger they had escaped. At least they were not burning in a forest fire. At least they were not staring down the throat of a massive beast. Claus was reputed among all he knew to be a fearless boy, but he could not help but shiver. And there was more to it than the coldness of the water.
Claus could not think of much… until the river turned again.
Sharply.
Claus' eyes shot open wide, and he found a gasp escape his mouth. His face was rushed against the edge faster than it had ever before, and he panicked. There was nothing else that he could think of as the ground charged towards him, threatening to turn his skull into an omelet. He desperately tried to swim to the side, but he was powerless.
Suddenly, there was a blur of brown and green. The flow of the river carried him around the corner just before it was too late. Glancing back, he realized that the blonde was similarly safe. He heaved a sigh of relief. That had been a close call.
As Claus recovered from the ordeal, he saw someone standing on the bank, looking in another direction. The man seemed to be about as old as his father, and his build was tough. His hair and beard seemed to be graying, but he looked just as strong as ever. He was carrying a long block of wood, which he seldom left home without.
"Uncle Lighter!" Claus managed.
Lighter glanced to the side, clearly surprised to see two boys flowing down the river. Claus immediately reached out and grabbed the shore. Fortunately for him, the grass and soil held… before he felt someone grab his foot, and the difficulty doubled. His twin brother was as heavy as him, and supporting his brother's weight and his own at once was nearly unbearable. He felt pain shoot up his arms, as they threatened to give away. The grass started to get uprooted, carrying the soil with it.
Lighter got down to his knees and placed his lumber on the ground. Much to their relief, he got a firm hold on the boys, dragging them onshore.
"Thomas, call the others."
A plump man wearing a red shirt and a white helmet jumped, startled. Turning around, he suddenly realized what was going on, and dashed off in another direction.
"Claus! Lucas! They're here!"
Soon, several familiar faces flooded into the clearing. Ollie, the mayor's son, known for having self-esteem issues. Abbot, a man in overalls and a straw hat. Fuel, one of their best friends. Tessie, one of their mother's friends, a comforting presence. Isaac, a man who lived secluded from the other villagers, just outside Sunshine Forest, but was no less skilled as a doctor for
Tessie handed them a pair of towels, which they hastily wrapped around themselves, their teeth chattering. Soon, a warm fire was burning. Claus huddled close to the fire, his orange hair and blue T-shirt with yellow stripes dripping wet. His brother hastily joined him. The crackle of the small blaze was the only thing breaking the silence, aside from the barely audible whispers.
"What were they doing in there?"
"Where's Hinawa?"
"I'm sure she's nearby."
"Call Flint!"
"I saw Thomas run his way!"
"Flint will be so glad!"
Claus and Lucas looked up as they heard a familiar whimper – it could be none other than Boney, their dog. As they watched, more villagers walked into the clearing – Jonel, Duster… and their father. Everyone went silent.
Flint slowly and cautiously walked towards them, as if unsure as to whether they were really there. He got down to one knee and looked at them in the eyes. He was as they remembered – his eyes were shadowed by his hat, but they nonetheless had a kindly glint. Worry had wrinkled his face, but they were clearing up. He was bruised in some places – because of looking for them in the forest, Claus guessed – but he still looked healthy and reliable. At the edges of his lips were the traces of a sincere smile. Above all, he seemed to be relieved, as if he had been carrying a great burden.
The twins did not want to say anything, and even Lucas' crying was now a mere series of sobs. Flint seemed to understand. For a few minutes, there was a calm silence, until Tessie interrupted it.
"Flint, I have made some Innit Tea. I think we should all rest a little. It'll be easier to look for Hinawa then."
There was another span of silence as everyone had their cups of Innit Tea. Tessie was just as skilled at making it as ever, but everyone seemed to be wondering the same thing – why Hinawa was not with the boys. They all knew her, and she was not one to leave them alone in the forest at night. Something big must have happened.
Finally, Flint broke the silence again.
"Claus. Lucas. Where's Hinawa?"
Suddenly, Lucas burst into tears.
This is what Claus had dreaded. Breaking it to his father. One glance to the side convinced him that Lucas was not going to be any help. It was up to him to tell Flint what had happened. He nervously faced away. He could not bear to look Flint in the eye.
"Dad… Mom's…"
"Flint!" Bronson the blacksmith shouted as he ran towards the clearing, huffing and panting. He was a burly man, more suited to working with the forge than to running marathons. He stopped and took a moment to catch his breath as he arrived. "Flint…"
"What is it, Bronson?" Flint inquired stoically.
"I found this," Bronson slowly answered, raising his hand to show a sharp, thick, slightly crooked object. "It's a Drago Fang. It's… a great tool to have…" Bronson stopped for a moment. "But…"
"But what?"
"That's not what I wanted to say…" Bronson continued. "What I wanted to say is…"
Flint simply stared at him.
"It was… where it was… it was… it was…"
"Go on." Flint muttered, but even he seemed to be scared as to what Bronson would say next.
"It was… in your…"
Bronson took a deep breath.
"It was pierced through your wife's heart."
Everyone took a step back.
There was silence.
Flint just stood there. He did not say anything.
He fell to his knees. He punched the ground.
"Please… get a grip on yourself." Bronson stuttered. "I don't think Claus and Lucas would be here… if not for Hinawa."
Tessie stepped closer, and put a hand on Flint's shoulder.
Flint responded by harshly backhanding her.
Tessie screamed.
Everyone gasped. Flint had actually hit someone, and Tessie of all people.
Flint rose to his feet. He pulled a stick out of the fire. He smashed the rest until the flames were no more.
Flint slammed the wood against the ground. Twice. Thrice.
"Flint… I don't know…" Abbot approached apprehensively. "I don't know what to sa-"
Flint jabbed at Abbot with his stick. The latter crashed down to the ground.
Suddenly, Tessie rose to her feet herself. She hurried to Claus and Lucas. She covered their eyes.
There was a series of shouts. Of different voices. Claus heard a crunch, followed by a loud thud.
"Flint… please… no…" a voice pleaded.
There was a sound of collision. Claus heard his father's scream. And then one final thud. Claus quickly realized what had just happened.
"Mom… would be back, right? She's going to be with us?" Lucas mumbled to Tessie.
"Yes… don't you worry one bit… she'll… she'll always be with us…" Tessie sobbed in reply.
"Mom… mommy…" Lucas cried, tears streaming down his face.
Claus had to admit, he felt like tearing up, too. His mother's grave was situated away from the rest – she held a special place in the hearts of the villagers. She would greet everyone with a smile. She was quick to comfort and encourage. She would not hesitate to help others out. She loved, and was loved. There was a patch of sunflowers growing beside her grave – her favourite.
'Wife of Flint,' the gravestone read. 'Mother of the twins Claus and Lucas. Daughter of Alec. May the beautiful Hinawa rest in peace here for all time.'
They had come before anyone else. Nippolyte had prepared a grave to the best of his ability, and it showed. He had left the boys alone there, so that they could be with their mother privately.
"Darn it… darn… it…" Claus muttered, knowing full well that he could not do anything about it. "I'll… I'll get stronger… I'll… kill that Drago…"
Suddenly, Lucas stopped crying. He glanced back at Claus. His eyes were red and puffy. Tears still covered his face. But his eyes held a look that Claus could not understand. It was inexplicable. But it was definitely not like Lucas. It was impossible. Lucas turned back and looked down. He still sobbed, but under that, he seemed to be deep in thought.
-
Claus walked towards the village alone. Sunlight once again rained down from the skies and lit up the grass. The grownups were out and about at this early hour, going about their chores. At the middle of the village, near the fountain, some women were gossiping. It was as usual. Yet it was not. Everyone seemed to be doing things half-heartedly. Enthusiastic greetings were now nods and grunts. The bustle had turned into hushed whispers. This was not how Tazmily Village should have been. It had never been this way.
'Nana has been showing off her skills at playing the trumpet a lot lately! Time to knock her down a peg!' Claus would usually be thinking right now, or, 'Let's give Fuel a scare!'But not today. There was something Claus had to do. His mother was dead. His father had been thrown into prison. This was not how things should be.
He cautiously sneaked towards Bronson's house. He looked around, trying to make sure that he was not noticed. No one saw him; they were all lost in whatever they were doing. Their minds seemed to be clouded in some way, as if they were all recovering from some kind of trauma. Confirming this, he raised his hand and touched the doorknob.
Yes. The door was open. People seldom locked their houses in Tazmily Village; there was no crime. Everyone knew each other. Everyone shared with each other. There was no reason to be afraid. Claus cringed as the door creaked loudly, but after making sure it had not attracted attention, he quickly walked into the house.
On the table rested the Drago Fang which had taken his mother's life. Claus averted his gaze, trying not to notice it. What he was looking for was the key to the jail. He glanced around, but it was nowhere to be found. He walked towards where the tools had been kept, cautious to not make a sound. He had no idea how most of them were supposed to be used, but what caught his eyes was a small, glinting object.
To his disappointment, it was not a key, but a hand file. But it would work just as well, Claus realized. He hoped. The only problem was sneaking it into the prison. He could not have anyone suspecting anything. He slowly walked out of Bronson's house and closed the door firmly.
"Claus, what're you doing here?"
Claus froze. He turned to find Bronson standing behind him. In this situation, the man appeared intimidating, even though Claus knew he would never hurt him.
"Uh… I was looking for you…"
"I see. So, what was it about?"
"I-I forgot! Um… Bye!" Claus blurted out abruptly, hastily turning away and racing towards his home, leaving a very puzzled Bronson in his wake. It was not before Claus ran into his home and shut the door did he gather himself.
Claus considered putting the hand file in his pocket... before he realized that his shorts did not have any. Should he put it in a bag? No, people would notice it and get suspicious. He searched around the house for something that he could hide the hand file in…
And then the thought struck him.
'Of course! I'd put the hand file inside an apple, and pretend to give it to dad. No one would know!' Claus grabbed an apple and set to work, trying to pierce the fleshy part of the fruit with the hand file, so that he could hide it inside.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Claus whipped around in alarm.
It was Lucas.
The younger twin did not seem to have noticed Claus. He still seemed to be lost in thought, looking down at the floor as he left the front door ajar. He slowly walked to the table by the fireplace… and picked up the knife.
"Hey, Lucas, what're you doing with it?"
Lucas jumped, startled. Wide-eyed, he realized that Claus was there.
"I-I'm hungry. I wanted to cut this apple and eat it," Lucas replied, hastily grabbing an apple himself. He smiled, but Claus could tell that it was not natural. "And what are you doing?"
"Huh? I… well… I'm eating an apple, too!" Claus had not expected this question.
Lucas nodded awkwardly, and quickly walked out of the house. Claus was well aware that his brother did not buy what he had said. But he also knew that Lucas was hiding something himself. Both of them knew each other too well.
'Is he really going to…? No. That's not Lucas. He'd never try something like that', Claus mused as he finally managed to hide the hand file inside the apple. It looked fine, at least…
Claus walked to the prison, only to realize that Duster was standing guard there. As he approached, the "thief" glanced at Claus inquisitively. Duster was a friendly man, but Claus nonetheless did not want to arouse his suspicion.
"…I… um… want to give this to dad," Claus said, showing Duster the apple. He was not sure he could trick someone who was probably trained in such things, and he held his breath when Duster raised an eyebrow. He let it out, however, when Duster slowly nodded.
Claus walked in to find his father sitting on the floor, looking down at the ground. Flint raised his head to look at him as he came to the door of the jail, the metal bars and the lock alike rusted due to age.
"Dad… it's me. I'm going to leave this apple here. Dad. Please have it. Dad… the core might be too hard, but…" Claus set the apple on the ground behind the bars, and ran outside before Flint could reply.
Claus realized that Duster was not there anymore. In fact, no one seemed to be around. Claus deduced that they must be in the Sunset Cemetery, by his mother's grave. He should be going there himself. His grandfather would be there… and he wanted to check up on Lucas. He could not shake the feeling that he was going to do something unexpected.
As he had expected, everyone was gathered around the grave. Alec was standing in front, and the others at a distance. Alec did not make a sound, but his head was hung down and his eyes closed. Claus heard him sigh. It was not long before Flint likewise arrived. No one complained – they all seemed to know what Flint was going through, and no one had the heart to break the somber silence.
It was then that Claus realized that Lucas was not there. This was concerning. Lucas had been crying so much this morning, he would never think about missing the gathering… unless…
Claus heard Alec whisper something to Flint. After a reply, the former turned towards him.
"Claus, do you know where Lucas is?" he whispered.
'Lucas wouldn't stand a chance…'
"…Claus?"
"…No, the Drago's…"
"…Don't tell me Lucas went to kill- Claus, wait!"
But Claus was already running home. Maybe Lucas had not gone after all. Maybe he was at home with Boney. It was definitely a possibility; Boney was the twins' best friend. He had been there since they were born.
But Claus' hopes were for naught. There was no one at home.
Without bothering to close the door behind him, Claus ran back out of the house. He made his way through the vacant village, heading towards the Sunshine Forest. He was the faster runner. Maybe he could catch up with Lucas before the latter reached the Drago Plateau. However, he had no idea when Lucas had set out. Right after they last met? Only a couple of minutes ago? There was no way to confirm.
'I need to find a shortcut…'
During the day, the Sunshine Forest really did live up to its name. Lush green grass, the rays of the Sun lighting up the path through the forest, even through the dense umbrella of green. The snakes, bats and Yammonsters were nowhere to be seen, only coming out at night. But even in the morning, the forest had plenty to offer. Frogs of different colours were gathered near the water. Rats and praying mantises scuttled around, making quiet, but constant clicking sounds. Even red lizards with their heads shaped like arrows seemed to be present. The forest fire the previous night seemed to have done a number to the forest, charring the plants and the ground alike, but it still seemed to be full of life.
Claus suddenly remembered. Across the river. Behind the strange, pink house. He had not been there since he had been much younger, when his grandfather had taken Lucas and him there. He had told them stories about strange beings, but they were fairy tales. Claus did not doubt that they were made up. The shortcut, however, was definitely real.
Claus quickened his pace, glancing around for traces of the house. It was not long before he noticed it. The tall roof, spiraling like a seashell, was unmistakable. It surprised Claus how many times he had seen it while going through the forest, and had yet not thought much of it. He wondered who lived inside, away from the rest of the society, in the depths of the Sunshine Forest.
Conveniently enough, there seemed to be a path of skipping stones. Claus did not stop to think about the fact that they were green in colour, and had a texture that suggested that they were anything but rocks. Claus reached out with a foot, setting it firmly on the first stone. It was… strangely soft, but it held his weight. He quickly skipped to the next stone, and confidently reached out for the next… before he was surprised by a croaking sound.
As the "stones" moved, Claus realized that they were not stones at all. They were frogs.
Claus was startled, but he continued on. He had to cross, and swimming among giant frogs seemed to be worse than quickly stepping over them. Fortunately for him, the river was not very broad; he quickly reached the other side. He glanced at the house, but realized that he did not have time to look at it. He tried to ignore it and walk around behind it, but could not help but hair a familiar voice from inside.
He suddenly found himself peeking in through the small window at the top of the door, standing up on his toes in order to get a clear view. Lucas was inside – at least now Claus knew that his brother was still alive. But the appearance of the other person puzzled him. Red robes coupled with an afro and lipstick of the same hue decorated its figure, and he could make out occasional giggles.
"You're a special one," Claus could hear it saying. "I can sense PSI, and more PSI emanating from you!"
'PSI?'
Suddenly, the door burst open, knocking Claus to the ground. Out flew Lucas, rocketing towards the pond until he fell into it. He flailed helplessly in the water. Before thinking anything else, Claus quickly climbed to his feet and leaped behind the shrubbery, hoping he had not been seen. What he beheld was intriguing; Lucas knew how to swim. He did not seem to be drowning, but it instead seemed as if some invisible force was holding him down.
And then it seemed to loosen its grip. Lucas suddenly stood up straight. Usually, Claus would be laughing at the expression, and making fun of Lucas about it for days on end. It was priceless – an otherworldly mix of bliss and uncertainty. And then Lucas laughed. He turned towards Aeolia and ran inside, grinning. It was as if all his grief had vanished without a trace.
There was another exchange between the two, but Claus could make out very little.
"Now go kill that Drago! You can do it!" the being said with a giggle.
There were no doubts anymore. Lucas really planned to challenge the Drago. He made his way to the cave behind the house. Claus hastily hopped out of his hiding place, attempting to follow.
"Oh, and who might that be?"
Claus stopped in his tracks. He must have had been seen when the door had opened by itself.
"Are you a friend of that other boy?"
"Uh… yeah."
"Strange," the being looked puzzled. "The two of you look so similar, I thought you were twins!"
The creature laughed boisterously. Now that it was so close, Claus could make out more of its features. All around its mouth, it had a pinkish stubble. However, its voice seemed to be rather feminine.
"Oh, where are my manners?!" the creature laughed. "I'm Aeolia, the Magypsy of Sunshine Forest. And who might you be?"
"Claus. I'm Claus. I'm in a hurry."
"Huh? Well, you are radiating just as much of PSI!"
Without warning, Claus found himself shooting through the air just as Lucas had did, and he immediately knew what was next. He plunged facefirst into the surprisingly warm water of the pond.
And he could not get out. He could not breathe.
"Brace yourself, sweety!" Aeolia said, as if into his mind, a little too late. "Just hang on!"
It was easier said than done. He was suffocating. He had no idea who this stranger was. What if it had wrong intentions? What if it did not know the effects of what it was doing?
And then Claus stood up straight. He felt excellent. Brilliant.
'Awesome!'
He felt a warm feeling all over his body. Something new had been awakened. He felt stronger, more capable. Much more capable. It was a while before he regained his bearings, but it was such a great experience that he did not mind. He did not even remember his mission.
"Oh…" Aeolia said, with just a hint of concern sneaking into its voice. "You, too?"
"What? Me too?" Claus turned around, snapped out of his thoughts.
"Nevermind! Don't you have a Drago to kill?" the Magypsy said, her usual cheerfulness once again apparent.
"Oh, yeah!" Claus raced around the house, much to the amusement of the being. "Thanks!"
"Two of them…" was the last thing Claus caught in his ears before he entered the cave.
He had only been here once or twice before. It was dark and difficult to navigate, but the sunlight entering from the cave exit provided some illumination. He tried to listen for footsteps, but he could hear none. Lucas was either already through, or at least much ahead of him. Claus could see many winding passages, but their dead ends were in sight, so, he simply walked straight ahead.
Until he came to two more passages, neither of which he could see through to the end. He was deep enough into the cave that they both seemed to end in darkness. Claus decided to go right.
And regretted it.
Countless eyes lit up, seemingly gleaming red in the darkness. Screeches filled the air, and then the swift flapping of wings. As Claus raised his hand to shield himself, the bats were upon him, deafening him.
It hurt. It hurt a lot.
Claus squinted, trying to focus. He was surrounded, and if the bats were aggressive, he knew that he could not outrun them anyway. He suddenly wished that he had the same power that Aeolia had. With something like that, he could show the bats not to pick on him.
Maybe he did.
Claus searched inside him. The warm feeling still lingered at the back of his mind. If only he could bring it out…
Sparks danced in front of him.
A flash of green light. A sound greater than the screeches combined.
The bats all fled, fluttering away in different directions. Whatever had happened, it had scared them enough to reconsider attacking. Claus suddenly felt a wave of tiredness, but he shook it off. First things first, he had to find Lucas. He could not let something like this be a setback. He continued on, but to his disappointment, it was another dead end.
Claus backtracked to the where the paths had split, and took the other passage. The trip was relatively smooth the rest of the way. He had to do some climbing in some places, but the vines that slithered up the walls made it easier to do so. Soon, he could see light in front of him.
Claus squinted as he exited the cave on the other side, his eyes adjusting to the comparatively bright light. He was immediately greeted by a scene of destruction; the ground was marked with slashes and giant footprints. Boulders lay smashed into pieces. Feathers littered the ground near a fallen tree. Vultures circled the sky, clearly ready to swoop down and have their fill. Claus decided to move on while he could.
The Drago Plateau was supposed to be home to not only Dragos, but a variety of other creatures. Small, but tough and strong reptiles, named Crag Lizards due to their rocky appearance were common. They would disguise themselves and then take prey by surprise, in order to make up for their lack of running feet. Their stubby feet prevented them from covering ground too fast, fortunately enough, but Claus could not see any signs of them. He had been visiting the Drago Plateau since he was much younger, and he knew how to identify the creatures, but…
The Drago Plateau was barren. Feeling uneasy, Claus advanced.
A large hill stood at the middle of a clearing, adorned with green at some places, and what seemed to be some sort of silver rock at others. And at the foot of it… was Lucas.
The boy, having a reputation for being a timid, coddled crybaby, was shaking. He still had a grip on the knife that he had taken from home, but it looked like it could fall out of his hands at any time. But Claus could not see any immediate danger around. He did not know why Lucas seemed to be so scared… unless…
Claus' fears were confirmed when the hill began to move. A single step shook the earth, sending both boys staggering to the ground. The older twin looked up and noticed something he had not before. An eye. There it stood before him. The Drago who their mother had to sacrifice herself to save them from. The Drago that had put an end to the usual joy of Tazmily Village.
Claus was afraid. He had barely survived his last encounter with the monster. Unarmed, what hope did he have of standing up to the beast? But above that, Claus felt angry. He felt betrayed. Since as long as he could remember, he had considered the Dragos his friends. He had shared many smiles and tears with them. They were known to be gentle, friendly creatures. They understood others.
But not this monstrosity. The Drago's mandible, as well as its left eye, had been reconstructed, replaced by metal. Its feet were similarly coated, and it had lost one of its arms to the same. Its entire tail had been replaced with metal. It was more machine than a living creature. Heartless. Inside its gaping mouth, Claus could see where its fang had been hanging from. The fang which had killed his mother. Claus rose to his feet.
Lucas of all people was the first to attack. Although a mere insect compared to the Drago's size, he ran forward and stabbed. He tried to pierce the Drago's hide with the homemade knife he held. Claus saw the blade shoot towards the reptile's green, exposed flesh.
It left no scratch. On the contrary, the knife shattered.
A cry of disbelief erupted from Lucas, a cry of fear. Claus gasped at the same time.
'Nothing... Nothing,' he repeated to himself.
A chill ran down Claus' spine. His anger disappeared, and his mixed emotions cleared, leaving behind terror. It was hopeless. They did not stand any chance of taking down the Drago. Not this way.
The Drago opened its mouth and roared. It was as if a whirlwind had struck them. Both of them crashed to the ground, and harder than before. Claus was at a relatively safe distance, but Lucas was not. The Drago raised one of its feet, fully prepared to crush the younger twin without breaking a sweat.
His hand shaking, Lucas pointed it at the Drago. A blast of green energy shot out from it, and even from where he was, Claus could feel the intense sense of power that emanated from the energy. But it merely glanced off the Drago. Lucas was not ready to control his powers yet. Claus could hear whimpers of fear from his brother. And suddenly, he realized why he had come to challenge the Drago.
It was not that he was no longer Lucas. Timid Lucas.
But he was not the same, either. He had snapped.
He was known to be weak. Too weak to handle a tragedy like this. Too weak to handle his mother's death.
But at the moment, Claus felt the weakest of all. He was helpless. His mother had died, and his brother was going to. Before his eyes. The two had quarreled, bickered, fought over petty things. But they still cared. Claus suddenly regretted the wrongs that had taken place between them. It was not easy to lose the other. Not easy to lose another.
Claus was not going to let it happen.
Another blast of green light erupted, this time from Claus. And out of sheer luck, it hit the Drago head-on. With a roar that still made the earth shook, the Drago collapsed. Lucas' body rolled dangerously close to the edge of a crevice, but he managed to stop himself before he fell off, shakily rising to his feet. Claus was too exhausted to manage that after his outburst.
Lucas turned to look back.
"T-Thanks…" was all he could manage.
Had they won?
The Drago stirred. They had not won. Despair again seized Claus as the reconstructed animal rose to its full height. It was wounded; there was no doubt about it. But it was not quite down yet.
The Drago roared. Louder than ever before.
Lucas whipped back, making sure to look out.
Too late.
The beast's metal tail nailed him, cleanly smashing him off the edge of the cliff. Lucas did not show any reaction. He simply went limp. His body collided with the side of the other cliff, and fell into the crevice.
Claus would have screamed, but he did not have the strength to.
The Drago advanced. Nothing to block its path. There was nothing Claus could do. No one was around. He was alone. All alone. Except for the monster in front of him. If only he could manage another blast of energy… he knew he would be able to avenge his mother and brother… but he could not.
"Claus!" was the last thing he heard before the Drago kicked him.
He felt metal clash with bone, and a loud crunch. For the second time in the day, his body was sent flying, this time even more forcefully than before. The wind was knocked out of him, the taste of blood filled his mouth. He felt his body sent sprawling, the stones littering the soil stabbing him until it was over. His senses were debilitated too much for him to feel any pain. He did not have any thoughts of moving. Maybe he would join the others. It was peaceful.
Everything faded.
-
A blur of the brown of wood. A familiar feeling under the head. The soft crackle of fire. The touch of fur at the feet. There was nothing else to be felt. No pain. All this would be over. Painlessly. Without a trace.
What kept him were the arguing voices of two grownups.
"Couldn't you be more serious?! This was a matter of life and death!"
"My daughter passed away yesterday. Do you think-?"
"Your friends… they were a waste of time!" the first voice growled.
"We wouldn't have reached in time if not for them!"
"We didn't!" A loud thumping sound. "Hinawa… they're all dead. Because-"
Claus blinked. His vision was clearing. He was back at home. His father and grandfather were there. And at his feet sat Boney, the brown dog staring at him with large eyes.
Boney leaped at his face.
Claus groaned. Suddenly, he felt all the pain come back to him. His ribs were probably broken. His breathing was strained and painful. He could not bear to move. But he feltsomething.
Flint and Alec immediately turned to face him. There was a moment of silence, of no movement. And then Flint walked over to him in a manner that reminded him of yesterday night. His eyes were bloodshot. He was doing better than Claus, but he had a fair share of hurts. Claus realized that his father had fought the Drago for his sake. And survived.
"Claus…"
Flint and Alec looked at each other. The old man's eyes were moist, but he did not say anything.
"Where is Lucas?" Flint said with a tone of restraint.
"He…" Claus coughed. He hated what he was about to say. "He…"
"Did you know he was going to fight the Drago?" To Claus' surprise, Flint seemed to be calm.
"…I-I…" Claus answered after a few moments. He had had an inkling of it since the morning. But he had not paid attention to it until it was too late.
"And you did not stop him?"
Claus could not say anything.
"Claus," Flint said without raising his voice. "I hope you know that it is your fault that your brother is… no, he's not dead. He can't be. No. I'll look for him. I'll bring him back."
Flint took a deep breath and heaved a sigh. He walked out of the house.
"It's not your fault, Claus," Alec said gently after a moment. "You couldn't have done anything. You know Flint still cares about you. He… he's just…"
"No. It is my fault. It's all my fault."